


Sally in the Alley

by carmen_085



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 69,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22947472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carmen_085/pseuds/carmen_085
Summary: They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.  It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.  They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.  But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.  (Takes place after 2x11) COMPLETE
Relationships: Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 109
Kudos: 370





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Lucy Chen smoothed her uniform as she stared at herself in the mirror. She had been back to work almost a month now and each day was getting a little easier.In the beginning she had been a wreck; always looking over her shoulder, waiting for the ghost of Caleb or Rosalind Dyer herself to emerge from the shadows.Ridiculous, she shook her head chiding herself silently.One day at a time…one day at a time. That’s what Tim kept telling her.Tim….A small smile came to Lucy’s face.Closing the locker she leaned against the cool metal for a moment. 

If one good thing had come out of this whole mess it was Tim.On the surface nothing had changed between them; but beneath that a shift had taken place.Lucy could feel it and most of the time tried to tell herself that she was had developed a hero worship complex with her TO and it was nothing more than that.But it was more than that.It wasn’t romantic or sexual, which was new territory for her, it was deep on another level. Throughout their time together they had been exposed to each other in a way that was both terrifying and exciting.Lucy knew she had developed a certain level of attachment to him long before Caleb and the barrel but now it was something different.Something she didn’t have a word for.Something neither of them acknowledged but both knew they needed in each other.Yes, she was attracted to him; even a blind person would be attracted to Tim Bradford.And yes he was an asshole but he was also fair and kind and absolutely relentless when it comes to those cared about. But above al that, he had become her person.The person she knew would always be there, the one who would go to the ends of the earth for her, the one she could call for anything. Her person. 

As usual Tim was waiting in the shop as she loaded the bags and rifles.Opening the backdoor she inspected the backseat.Two weeks ago she found used a used needle stuffed in the seat cushions three hours into the shift and Tim made her do fifty push ups on the spot.Smirking she let out a silent laugh, despite their new emotional proximity he still treated her the same and for that she was grateful.Even more so after everything that happened.While there were still plenty of sympathetic stares around the station, her TO was not one of them.Her parents had the broken glass treatment covered as they had pulled out nearly every psychoanalytic trick to get her to quit the LAPD. The thought hadn’t crossed her mind and it wouldn’t. 

Climbing into the front seat she closed the door as Tim cast a disapproving glance a her.“It’s two minutes after three, what the hell took you so long?” 

Lucy breathed out as she relaxed into the passenger seat. Across the console Tim tuned the key as they pulled out of the parking lot.If reading between the lines was an art form, Lucy would be a master.He was asking her if everything was ok; if she was good. 

Smiling she looked at him from the corner of her eye.“I had to touch up my hair and make up, like always.” 

Tim let out an exhale as the corner of his mouth twitched upward.Sarcasm meant everything was good, silence meant there was a problem.Of all the things he liked about Lucy Chen, and there were more than he would ever admit, the thing he liked the most about her was that she didn’t cower to him.Even with the TO dynamic she still gave it right back to him, and while he more often than not used his authority to have the last word; he still enjoyed the banter. 

They fell into a comfortable silence as the shop bounced down San Vicente.On the console the radio crackled. “7-Adam-19. Report of a female found in alley behind 3792 S Genessee Ave. Likely DOA.” 

Tim snapped his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he shook his head.Just what he wanted to do; babysit a rancid DOA.Turning the shop around he pointed it toward their address as Lucy remained silent waiting for him to interject a, no doubt, crass comment into the situation.“Sally in the alley…”

Lucy rolled her eyes.Sally in the alley was the politically incorrect term for a dead female found in alley usually the victim of drugs, prostitution or both.Opening his mouth, she cast a glance at him. She knew there was more, there was always more.“Probably some hooker….we’ll be on this for half the afternoon.” 

“Oh come on.Half the afternoon ?” Lucy let out a wry laugh at his exaggeration. 

Shaking his head Tim looked at her.“Ever the optimist, Boot.Few more years on the job and that will be beat right out of you.” 

“I hope not.”Lucy was serious although she knew there was no use arguing with him. 

Pulling into the alley, the hot sun bathed the buildings and backyards in a warm glow.Two kids, not more than twelve,stood in front of a group of trash cans their phones out and up. Another kid knelt down throwing rocks at the body with a mindless stare.On the ground she could see a pair of white legs and bare feet.

“Look at these little animals…” Tim broke her out of her trance as her mind caught up to reality.The kids were videoing, probably streaming it on Facebook live right now.Throwing the doors open they both got out.

“Hey….get your asses over here.” The kids looked at each other before looking back at Tim. 

“We ain’t doin’ nothing illegal.”Grabbing the first kid by his collar Tim shoved him against the hood of the shop as the other two straightened up a bit.

Kicking the kid’s legs apart Tim began to pat him down as Lucy gestured toward the hood. “You two get over here.”After a quick check for weapons, Tim nodded her toward the body.

“Check it out…see if they’re still alive.”Nodding Lucy reached into her pocket for a pair of latex gloves.It was possible that their victim was just overdosed but given the severe pallor of her legs she had a feeling that would not be the case. 

Wiping the sweat from her forehead she heard flies buzzing around the trash as the sick rotting smell coming from the trash cans turned her stomach.The woman was wearing a blue dress that had been hiked up around her hips as her underwear was bloodied and around her knees.Her right arm had track marks up and down the inner forearmas Lucy exhaled.Leaning over she placed two fingers on the woman’s neck although she was almost sure there would be nothing there.Even in the hot sun her skin felt cold and was gray, almost white.She was dead.A sigh escaped her lips as a sudden sadness filled her.Yes, it was another junkie dead in the alley, happened almost everyday.But it was still a person…a person who had died alone in a pile of trash, mostly likely raped and assaulted before meeting her untimely end.Reaching down she didn’t know what possessed her to do it but she took her ungloved hand and ran it through the woman’s blonde hair pushing it back from her face. 

The blood in her veins ran cold as her heart stopped.Lucy’s hand froze as she gasped.It was Isabel.Swallowing hard Lucy stumbled back a few steps shaking her head willing it to not be true. This wasn’t right.Isabel was clean; had been for months.Tim had even gone to the rehab to see her and said she was.On top of that they hadn’t heard a word from her or seen her anywhere on the streets and while he never said it, she knew Tim looked for her everyday. Checked faces of victims, hoping and praying it wasn’t her.Yes what they had was in the past but he would never stop caring about her and Lucy knew that. 

“Boot…what’s going on ?”Tim had hooked up all three kids as they sat on the ground against the front of the car.Lucy looked back to Isabel and then to Tim her face twisted with what she was sure was horror. “Chen?”She could see it on his face.The flicker…the worry, that maybe this time would be it.And it was.But he didn’t need to see her; not like that.Rushing toward him Lucy put both hands on his chest forcing him to stop.

“Go back to the shop.I got it.”Tim looked down at her face and her hands on his chest as she saw his pupils dilate with fear.His chest began to heave as he was sure that she could feel his heart pounding through the fabric of his shirt and vest. 

“No..No.You’re wrong….you’re wrong.” His voice wavered with emotion as she stood between him and the body of his ex-wife.“She’s clean…..she’s been clean for months.”Lucy couldn’t look him in the eye; she didn’t want to see what was there. 

Her hands were still planted on his chest trying to push him way from something he didn’t need to remember the rest of his life.Reaching up he unconsciously took her hands in his own holding on to her as he looked up at him.This was that something more…that something she couldn’t put a word to.The almost involuntary latching on to each other; both physically and emotionally.It was the way she buried her face in his shirt, crying hysterically after he pulled her from that barrel, and the way he was squeezing her hands right now. 

When he spoke again, his voice was on the verge of breaking as it came out high and croaked.“Lucy…?”He never used her first name.Looking down she bit her lip as she nodded, tears coming to her own eyes.

“It’s her….”Letting go of her hands he stepped back looking away, his hands on his hips as he walked around in a circle.Everything inside of him wanted to run from this moment; but even if he did run there was no where to go.Blinking a few times he nodded his head.He had to see her for himself, had to know what it looked like, had to know what they did to her.Moving past his partner Chen grabbed his arm. Stopping their eyes met. “Tim….please don’t.” Pulling his arm free he understood what she was trying to do but he couldn’t not look.Just like Lucy was his responsibility; Isabel had once also been.And just like Lucy, he would have gone to ends of the earth to protect her; no matter what she did or how he felt about it. 

“I have to.”Lucy didn’t turn around, she didn’t want to remember the look his face when he saw her. Behind her she heard a gasp and then the swishing of material and jingling of keys as he bent over.Swallowing hard she reached up and wiped her face before pivoting toward her TO. 

Tim knelt in front of Isabel.His eyes stared at her, pain etched on his face.His left hand stroked the hair back from her face as his eyes wandered down her body to the bloody misplaced underwear.Lucy saw the muscles of his jaw clench.Coming to stand next to him, she didn’t know if she should touch him right now or not.Didn’t know if she should say something or not. She just didn’t fucking know what to do so she stood there. Gently he took the hem of her dress pulling it back down to her knees covering her.Pushing himself to his feet, she felt the tension radiate off of him as she realized how much effort he was putting into keeping it together.A strangled breath escaped his lips.

“Call it in.”Turning he walked away from her down the alley and around the corner.Her eyes wandered back to Isabel.She wished she could take her out of the trash heap, cover her with a sheet, something…anything to make this even fractionally more dignified than it was.But she couldn’t. It just was what it was. 

* * *

An hour later Lucy squatted down in front of Isabel as the Medical Examiner prepared to place her into a body bag.The three juveniles had been taken in by West and Lopez who gave them a searing lecture about disruption of a crime scene.Nolan and Harper stood against the fence, their expressions solemn. 

“Chen…” Looking up she saw Sgt.Grey motioning her toward him.The flash of the crime scene tech’s camera flickered behind her as she regarded her CO.

“Yes Sir.” Casting a glance down the alley he nodded toward Bradford.

“I talked to Bradford. He says the last he knew she was in rehab.”

“Yes sir…”He was asking her if Tim was lying.Even if he was lying she would never tell Grey.She liked the boss, he was good at his job but could also still get it done on the street, a rare combination.He was quiet for a moment. 

“I’m not blind, Chen. I know the two of you have become close.”She swallowed hard unsure where this was going.“He listens to you, even if you don’t think so.” She contemplated that silently.“We will find who did this but I don’t want anyone going off half cocked. Understand ?”

Chen nodded.She knew what he meant but she also knew what this was doing to Tim and what Isabel meant to him.She would never disobey her CO but she also would never sell her partner out.Her partner.That’s what he was becoming….not her TO….her partner.“Yes sir. I understand.” Grey looked at her a hint of suspicion in his eye before getting back into the car.The flurry of activity continued around Lucy as her eyes roamed down the alley toward her partner. 

* * *

It was almost dark when the last car left the scene.They had not only taken Isabel’s body but also the trash and trash cans leaving an empty spot on the ground.Tim had not moved from his position at the end of the alley.Opening the door, Lucy got out of the shop. They were alone as she walked slowly toward him.The car he was sitting on had weeds growing around the tiresand broken window.In the six hours they had been here, he had pushed himself onto the hood as his boots rested on the bumper, his elbow on his knees and head in his hands.Tim Bradford was a picture of torment if she ever saw one.Silently she pushing herself up onto the hood next to him as they both stared into a backyard with a rusty fence, abandoned swing set, and piles of garbage. 

“I keep….”She folded her hands in her lap not looking at him reasoning that it was probably easier for him if she didn’t.“I keep thinking about what she was like when we met…and…” He stopped, shaking his head his voice cracking a bit.“And how the fuck we got here.” 

Lucy bit her lip.“You did everything you could for her…”

Tim jerked up sliding to his feet, his body suddenly taut with anger.“Did I though ?! Did I fucking do everything ?!”Jamming his finger toward where her body had been he shook his head. “Because it sure don’t look like it…” He paced back and forth. 

Lucy reached out for his arm as he passed. Roughly he jerked it back.“Don’t…ok…just don’t.”A look of hurt crossed her face that made his gut tie into knots. Massaging his forehead he covered his eyes for a second.Dropping his hands abruptly he stared right at her.“I need to find who did this…. I need to make this right for her.” 

She stared back at him.“And we will. Grey is already…” He cut her off abruptly. 

“NO! I mean I NEED to find them.”She knew what he meant.“Do you understand?”

Lucy slide off the car standing in front of him.“I’m with you. No matter what it takes. We’ll make this right.” 

“We?” If it were any other circumstance she would laugh. Where else would she be but with him?

Nodding firmly she didn’t waver.“Yes. We.” 

**TBC….obviously**

**The search for Isabel’s killer will take our favorite duo on quite the adventure.**

**Got this idea out of the blue and I need another fic like I need a hole in my head but I couldn’t pass it up.Let me know what you guys think of this.**


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Lucy sat in the empty roll call room.It was nearly ten o’clock but Mid-Wilshire was still buzzing with activity.Staring at her hands on the table top she tried to think of something…of anything besides Isabel laying in that pile of trash.She had been a cop once. She had walked the same streets Lucy was walking now. Isabel had sat in this roll call room, uniform just as blue as the one she was wearing now.And she had been Tim’s partner; backed him up, protected him, fell in love with him.It was easy to dismiss a dead overdose in an alley; just another dead body.But when you know the story; know where that person came from and how they got there, it wasn’t so simple.Isabel had been exactly where Lucy was right now, there was almost no difference between them.Only choices and time. 

Looking up she saw the back of Tim’s head in Gray’s office.While she couldn’t see his face she knew he was still putting a monumental effort into keeping it together.His shoulders were tense and drawn back as his right hand twitched nervously on the butt of his pistol. When Tim was nervous he always did that.Looking away for a moment she wondered why she knew that.Why she paid so much attention to the things he did.Shaking her head she forced that question from her mind. There was no time for it right now. 

Word had, no doubt, spread that Tim’s wife….Tim’s ex-wife had been found dead.Due to her recent criminal activities most everyone knew the ‘deal with Bradford’s ex wife’ as it was referred to in hushed whispers and nervous stares.They knew she was drug addict but they didn’t know it was because of the job. Because she went undercover and got addicted.Because, really, she had given up everything to be a cop.

The door opened as Nolan slid into the seat next to her.“Tim in with the boss?”

She looked at him and nodded. Had it been anyone else she would have been annoyed but it was Nolan and this was just him.“I thought she was clean.”Lucy nodded again, looking at her hands. 

“She was.She was doing really good.”She didn’t know why she felt the need to defend Isabel but she did.Shaking her head she cast a glance at Tim, “So did he.He had no idea she relapsed.” 

Nolan leaned back in the chair exhaling deeply.Both of them looked up as Tim left Gray’s office headed for the locker room not bothering to cast a glance their way.Lucy watching him go as Gray opened the glass door, eyes landing directly on her.“Chen..”

Snapping toward her boss she hoped that he hadn’t seen her staring at Tim.“Yes sir.” 

Gray looked to Nolan for a moment before back at her.“Shift’s over for you.Go home and get some rest.” 

She lingered on Gray’s face for moment.Go home and get some rest? They needed to be out there doing something. The longer they waited the less likely it was they would find something.The boss saw her hesitation and was quick to jump on it.“You didn’t forget what I said earlier?” Chen was quick to shake her head, 

“No sir.”Gray looked at her dubious for a moment before nodding slightly. 

“Armstrong’s lead on this….he’ll get the bastard.” Nick Armstrong was a great guy and good detective but the level of intensity he brought to this would not be enough for her TO and she knew it. She forced a smile for Gray. 

“I know he will.”Tapping the glass with a file in his hand her CO retreated back to his office. 

“You should get some rest. It’s been a long day.” Nolan got up pushing his chair in as she nodded following him.“I’m sure Armstrong will be up on this all night.” 

Agreeing with him they parted ways as she headed to the locker room.She was relieved that neither Harper nor Lopez were also in there as she didn’t want to answer anymore questions.Before Tim went into Gray’s office, Lucy had been grilled by the boss and she lied to him.Yes…lied to him. While she honestly didn’t know anything new about Isabel she also conspicuously avoided the questions about before.When Isabel was out on the streets using, and they spent the majority of their days chasing her around.It would look bad on Tim and she didn’t want that, not now…not after everything they had been through and everything that just happened. 

Emerging from the locker room she slung a bag over her shoulder as she cast a glance toward Gray’s office.He wasn’t watching her and was rocked back in his chair talking on the phone.Yes she would do her best to keep Tim from going off the rails but she also wasn’t going to stop him from doing what he needed to.The cool night air blew her hair into her face as she walked around the building to her car.As she rounded the corner a pair of hands reached out and grabbed her pulling her against the building.

Caleb shoving her into the trunk of a car flashed into her mind as she gasped.Freezing she became stiff as a board not even able to reach for her gun if she wanted to. The touch wasn’t rough, though, it was warm and gentle and even familiar in some way.“Hey..Hey..It’s me. It’s me.”Tim’s voice brought her back to reality as she shook the hair out of her face and blinked.He let her go as he scratched the back of his head. “I”m sorry…I..”

She shook her head straightening up.“It’s…It’s fine. What are you doing out here anyway?”

Looking around her back to the front door of the Division he checked the parking lot to make sure they were alone.“I…I think I know where to start with this.”She was silent as she took him in. Every muscle in his body was tight as his right hand twitched involuntarily near the gun on his hip. “But if you’re going to do this with me I need you to know that we’re going off the standard playbook.” He would understand if she said no.She had just been kidnapped and almost killed.Lucy was also still a rookie, his rookie no less and his responsibility so there really wasn’t one good reason he should be asking her to help him. Except that he wanted her there; needed her there.Yes her probation wasn’t over, but despite that she had crossed over from his trainee to his partner.And no matter what he tried to tell himself about her, he couldn’t deny that.So, yeah, he wanted her there with him and as he stared at her in the dark he hoped with every part of himself that she would say yes. 

“I’m with you. I already told you, whatever it takes to make this right.”Tim let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. 

“Alright…Let’s go.”Not looking back, Lucy nodded resolutely as she followed her TO to his car. 

* * *

Tim slowed the car to a stop as he cut the ignition.They sat there in silence as he eyed a run down apartment complex.He hadn’t said anything to her since they left the station and it didn’t seem like the time for her usual nervous small talk.Staring down at her hands she took a deep breath.

“Who lives here?”Tim stared out the driver’s window, his elbow propped on the door and the back of his hand covering his mouth.She couldn’t see his face but she could see the muscles of his neck twitch. 

“She’d been out there for a while….using again.I saw her arms.”Lucy averted her eyes back to her lap.He wasn’t wrong.His voice was strained when he spoke again as she wondered how long he would be able to keep this up before he totally lost it.“I…I had no idea.” 

In the meager street light she could see his chest heaving up and and down as he struggled with himself.She hadn’t touched him; not since she tried to stop him in that alley.Her mind flashed back to laying in the dirt, holding onto him for dear life sobbing hysterically.Before that they hadn’t really touched each other much; at least not when it wasn’t necessary.But since that day, she had developed a subconscious physical pulling toward him and he to her.It wasn’t anything anyone would notice but it definitely there.A hand on the shoulder, two knees bumping together under the desk, or leaning into one another whenever they stood side by side.They had become a salve to everything that was frayed or torn inside of the other.

Reaching out she tentatively place her hand over his right wrist.He flinched at the contact before letting a strangled sigh escape his lips.Through the warm skin of his forearm she could feel his pulse racing.Ever so slightly he turned his palm up as she, encouraged by this, slid her hand into his.Tim let his eyes slip closed as he interlaced his fingers with hers.Taking a few deep breaths before squeezing her hand he opened his eyes, turning his gaze to her.Lucy’s eyes met his gaze as she offered him a faint smile. 

“I’m really sorry this happened to her.”Tim nodded meeting her eyes briefly.

“Me too.”Pulling his hand from hers, he gestured toward the building.“Every time she slipped up…it was always because of him.Michael Sanchez, they call him Mickey, she met him when she was under. He got her addicted.If she was using again, he would have known.”Lucy followed his gaze across the parking lot to an apartment with the door ajar.Warm yellow light streamed out as the curtains blew in the cool night air.He turned to her, his expression a mix of desperation and warning.“If you don’t want to…it’s ok.You don’t have to.This is my problem, not yours.”

Lucy shook her head as she returned his stare.“Your problems are my problems,” pausing she steeled herself.“We’re partners.”They technically weren’t partners; she was a rookie and he was her TO.But they weren’t like Nolan and Harper or Lopez and West. There was something more, though, and it started the moment Isabel came charging out of that liquor store on her first day.He let her in that day, not because he wanted to but because he had to.Now they let each other in because they both wanted to.That was partners and she felt it with everything inside of her and she knew he felt it too. 

He looked at her silently before turning back to the apartment neither agreeing nor disagreeing.Lucy let a breath out she didn’t know she was holding.Unlatching the driver’s side door, Tim pushed it open as he paused for a moment looking back at her. “This shit bag makes one wrong move you shoot him…Do you understand me?” Lucy paused before nodding slowly.“I don’t care if he give us something or not…I…ah…” he shook his head looking away as she stared at him.“I..I can’t let you get hurt again.” He said the words so fast they all ran together as she sat there stunned.Swinging the door and stepping out into the street Tim didn’t wait for her to reply as he began walking toward the apartment. 

_I can’t let you get hurt again._

Those words tumbled over in her mind as she hurried to follow him across the parking lot.Taking her gun out she followed him up the stairs as they moved silently.Loud Spanish music wafted out into the cool night air as they inched closer to the open door.Crouching down Tim peered over the ledge of the window, careful to stay out of sight.The curtains blew inward with a breeze coming off the ocean.The room was empty.Standing up, Tim cautiously swung the door open.

Lucy’s eyes wandered over the dirty couches and the coffee table littered with drug paraphernalia.The carpet was stained and torn as the smell of burnt plastic stung her nostrils.Staying close behind Tim, she kept her gun up and level.Somewhere in the back hallway she heard a door swing open as a loud voice yelling in Spanish came toward them.A hispanic male appeared with an iPhone pressed to his head, completely oblivious to their presence.

“What the fuck…” Turning, his break for freedom was cut short by Tim’s fist.The iPhone went flying as he stumbled backwards into the dining room table.Pinning him to the table, Tim held him down by throat.Looking back toward her he nodded toward the hallway.

“Clear the rest of the apartment.”She didn’t need to be told twice as she swept the back rooms finding an open window but no other people.Returning to the living room she stopped, eyes coming to rest on her TO. 

“Clear.”She could see the muscles of his jaw twitching as he barely acknowledged her.Bent over the table, Sanchez stared up at him wide eyed as Tim tightened his fingers around the poor bastards neck. 

“How long had she been using for?” Sanchez wheezed as his legs kicked wildly.Leaning into him Tim wasn’t going to stop until he got the answers he needed.Lucy winced at the look on his face, it was dark and deadly and something she wasn’t used to seeing.Their prisoner was about to pass out as his eyes rolled back into his head.Stepping forward Lucy came to stand next to Tim as she reached out touching his arm gently.A strangled breath escaped his lips as he eased up slightly.

“Tim…” Sanchez was on the verge of passing out as blood trickled out of his nose.Releasing his hands from the doughy flesh of the man’s neck Tim watched as he crumpled to the ground. Glancing at Lucy he shook his hand as he walked around the couch putting space between himself and his ability to lose all control.On the floor Sanchez’s head lolled side to side as he wheezed for air.His voice came out croaked and disjointed when he spoke.

“What do you mean had…” Tim stared at the wall not able to make eye contact much less say the words. 

Bringing her gun back up Lucy bit her lip before speaking.“She’s dead. We found her today.”Sanchez looked between the both of them as he coughed blooding coming out of his mouth as he shook his head. 

“Oh God…”His head dropped back to his hands as he shook it side to side.Turning to look at him, Tim stood there with his hands on his hips.His gun was back in the holster at his side as a wry smile crossed his lips. 

“NO !”Lucy jumped at his outburst.“NO! You don’t get to cry over her…” Taking two bounding leaps he was back on Sanchez, this time this gun pressed against the man’s forehead.He quivered under the pressure of the Glock against his skull.Swallowing hard Lucy didn’t dare lower her own weapon.Despite that she hoped with everything inside of her that this didn’t go any further.Yes, she had agreed to back him up no matter what, to take this as far as they had to, to get justice for Isabel and make this right.But this was Tim, her Person, the one she trusted more than anyone else.He couldn’t be someone who killed in cold blood.

“I haven’t seen her in about a month…” His words came out in sobs as blood dripped off his face and onto the carpet.“She didn’t have the money for dope so she started doing meth.”Tim’s outstretched arm began to shake.“Last I knew she was running around with some white boy…they call him Joey….”

“Joey what?”Tim leaned into the barrel of his gun harder as Sanchez moaned in pain. 

“I don’t know man…I…” Taking a step forward he put the toe of his boot into the man’s crotched as he howled.Leaning into Sanchez’s ear his voice was low and deadly.

“I don’t have the time to fuck around with you, Mickey.So I’m going to ask you again…Joey what?”

Sanchez rolled side to side in agony as sweat beaded up on his forehead.“Joey Ferguson …” Taking a step back Tim kept the gun against his head.

“Where can I find him…”

“He’s gone.”Shaking his head side to side he continued to sob in pain.“He left LA a couple days ago.”Lucy felt sick; Isabel had been laying there for two days.“He has a cousin that does that shit….I don’t know what the fuck it’s called…some kind of oil drilling shit.It’s in Wyoming; on some Indian Reservation.” 

“Fracking?” Lucy’s voice caused Tim to drop his right arm; his hand still twitching at his side.Sanchez looked at her, seemingly relieved for a second.

“Yeah…yeah that’s it.”He slumped over to the floor looking up at Tim with pleading eyes. “Joey’s brother told me he had two strikes, drugs and shit..you know, wanted to get out of California before he gets locked up for life.Nobody said nothing about Isabel…I swear if I knew he hurt her I would have killed him … You gotta believe me.” 

Glancing down at Sanchez a look of disgust came over his face. “Oh yeah, you’re a real knight in shining armor…” Lowering his arm, he shook his head, “No matter who killed her; it’ll always be your fault, Mickey.”Holstering his gun he glanced at Lucy before heading to the door. 

“She never loved you.”Tim paused before stepping out as Lucy saw his shoulders tense. “If she did, she never would have starting using in the first place.”For a second it looked like he was about to turn back, an undoubtedly brutal response to Sanchez’s harsh accusation.

Turning his head so that the reply could be heard Tim’s voice came out soft and low.“I know.” 

* * *

The door to the roll call room was slightly ajar as Lucy looked up at the clock. It was nearly two in the morning but she still wasn’t tired.After the boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend as it seemed, gave up Ferguson they immediately returned back to the station.Lucy wasn’t hopeful as Sanchez seemed less than reliable, although it was as good a place as any to start.Armstrong meanwhile had buried himself in a mountain of files trying to understand how a cop’s ex-wife could end up raped and murdered in a pile of garbage. 

As her and Tim bent over the computer, Lucy reasoned that they were due for some luck.Earlier that day Wyoming Highway Patrol had recovered an abandoned vehicle registered to a Barbara Ferguson of Los Angeles; Joey’s grandmother.He had most likely stolen her car in an attempt to make a quick escape from the city.Inside were hand written directions to a place called Lander, Wyoming; a small town just outside the Wind River Indian Reservation. 

And for the first time today, Tim let out the breath he was holding and relaxed ever so slightly. That’s until they went in to talk to the boss. Gray was pulling an all nighter helping to fill Armstrong in on Isabel’s history.Staring at both of them in clear displeasure he gestured toward the roll call room.At the door he held his hand up to Chen. 

“Wait out here, Officer Chen.”Back to the wall, she slid down until she was sitting on the floor.The door hadn’t closed all the way as she pushed it open fractionally; just enough to hear what they were saying. 

Tim leaned against one of the tables, legs crossed at the ankle as he hesitantly met his CO’s stare.“What the hell are you thinking?”

Pursing his lips he shook his head, “I can’t just sit back and do nothing…this is my ex-wife we’re taking about !”

Gray shook his head. “I know.And the only reason you’re not in there being questioned right now is because I know you ! And I know what you would have done for her if you could.”Tim had to acknowledge that if this was any other situation with any other CO, he would have definitely gotten interrogated by the detectives. 

“I know…and thank you for that.”His voice was soft, conceding.Gray looked at him silently.

“You think this Wyoming thing is credible ?”Tim paused for a moment before nodding. 

“Isabel always went back to Sanchez, every single time, if anyone would know, it would be him.”Gray considered this for a moment.Tim, seeing his opportunity to push it further added, “The car proves he’s there.”Standing up straighter, Tim walked toward him.“Please….I have to know.” 

Gray looked at the torment on the younger man’s face as he sighed.If someone hurt his wife, his daughter; he would tear up the world finding them. “OK. But you’re not going alone.Armstrong will…”

Before Grey could finish Tim cut him off. “No.”Armstrong was a nice guy but Tim didn’t trust him, not yet anyway.There was something in his past that he wasn’t telling them, something dark that lurked just behind the shadows in his eyes.Gray looked at him surprised.Tim licked his lips searching for a plausible reason that the CO would buy.“I think he needs to stay back; in case this turns out to be nothing.Keep on the trail here.”It made sense, he hoped Gray would buy it. 

After a few moments he reluctantly nodded, “OK. How about…” Before he could finish Tim met his eyes to show he was serious as he interjected.

“I want to take Chen with me.”This time Gray didn’t stop to consider.

“No.Absolutely not.”He shook his head vehemently. “She’s rookie and with everything she’s been through you want to put her through this?” 

Tim didn’t have a good explanation for that as he dipped his head.When he spoke again his voice was weak and emotional.“I…I need her there, sir.She’s my partner and I don’t want anyone else backing me up.” 

Outside the door Lucy felt tears come to her eyes as a gasp escaped her lips.Covering her mouth she pushed herself up to her feet. 

Gray studied Bradford, his expression somewhat softened.“With everything she’s been through…can she do it?”

Lucy pushed the door open standing in the back of the room.“I can do it.”

Both Tim and the CO turned abruptly not expecting her to be there.Gray opened his mouth to speak but Chen cut him off.“We don’t leave each other behind.We don’t keep walking when one of us falls down.” Coming to stand next to Tim she looked at his face for a moment before looking back to the CO.“And we don’t stop looking when someone is lost.”Tim swallowed hard as a wave of emotional tore through him.“We kick down every door, talk to every witness, andtake it as far as it needs to go to make things right.” Taking a deep breath she looked Gray right in the eye.“I can do this, Sir.I want to do this.” 

Gray looked between the both of them as he shook his head, “Find a flight to Casper or Cheyenne or wherever the hell you need to go.Leave in the morning, before this lead goes cold.”Sighing he moved to leave the room before turning back, “Nobody gets hurt on this….you play it safe…and you both come home.”

Tim nodded as he replied taking responsibility for both Lucy and himself, “We will.” 

The door shut leaving them standing there feeling both excited and terrified. 

**TBC….the adventure starts next chapter.Yes this will be AU as it is going to take place outside of LA but it will also be all Lucy and Tim all the time !**

**Thank you to all for the wonderful reviews.Keep them coming !**


	3. Chapter 3

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : This idea just came to me. Not a whole lot of Rookie Fics on here yet. Hope everyone likes it !

**Chapter Three**

Lucy exhaled loudly as the car pulled up to the Departures curb at LAX.It was almost six AM but she hadn’t slept yet. Staring at the yellow glow of the terminal she fisted her sweater nervously. 

“You sure about this?” From across the console Jackson eyed her as she nodded staring into the terminal.For a moment she was quiet.

“Yeah…” Internally Lucy chided herself; she didn’t sound very convincing. Turning, she looked him right in the eye. “I’m sure.” Pausing she struggled to find the words to explain this.“You know…I wouldn’t be alive right now if it wasn’t for Tim. So…” They were quiet.That wasn’t even the start of it; there was more, so much more but this was hardly the place to do it. 

“You don’t owe him….you know.Even Bradford would say that.”Lucy let out a wry laugh as she shook her head.

“It’s not that…It’s..” She trailed off.She couldn’t explain it.He wanted her there and she needed to be with him. Swinging the door open she pushed the hair back from her face.“I’ll be fine.”Grabbing her bag from the back seat she slammed the door shut as she leaned in the open passenger side window eyeing her roommate. “Thanks for the ride.” 

West didn’t look at her right away.He clearly was not in agreement with the situation although there was nothing he could do. “Be careful…there won’t be anyone out there to back you up. It’s not like here.”Lucy bit her bottom lip.She wasn’t dumb enough to think it would be like LA with back up seconds away, yet hearing someone else acknowledge the severe isolation they would be up against made her stomach turn.If something happened to Tim; she would be alone out there, at the mercy of whoever or whatever.And this time no one would be coming to save her. 

Forcing a smile for both their benefit she tried to sound confident although she was anything but, “Look on the bright side…you and Sterling have the apartment all to yourselves…don’t go too crazy while I’m gone.”

Jackson cracked a half smile before becoming serious again.“Just come back, ok? Both of you….just come back.”Lucy swallowed hard as she nodded pushing back from the car. 

She stood there on the curb watching Jackson drive down the ramp.Hiking her bag up on her shoulder she felt a familiar tightening in her chest.For a second Lucy’s vision flashed black to white.

_‘Get in the barrel.’The gun pointed at her head, her hands zip tied to her belt; she looked around the barren landscape. She had no more choices, no more plays, no more plan b’s.He had her and they both knew it.Swallowing hard she stepped up onto the stone as she stared down at the blackness of what would surely be her demise._

Inhaling sharply, a sheen of sweat had broken out across her forehead. A taxi pulled up in front of her as an annoyed Suit watched the driver unload his bags onto the sidewalk.Turning she realized her hands were shaking as the automatic doors slid open bathing her in warm, yellow light.Nobody knew about the panic attacks, not even the therapist her parents insisted she see. Something like that would suspend her indefinitely from the force. She didn’t need to be off anymore; she needed to feel normal again.Wiping her brow with the back of her hand, she took a steadying breath.She was doing this and nothing was going to stop her. 

* * *

“United 4510 to Casper, Wyoming will now begin to board group A. Group A please report to the boarding area.” Tim had looked at his boarding pass ten times already, he knew where he was sitting and that he didn’t board until last but still he looked at the paper in his hands once more.Looking back up at the people gathered around the gate he felt his heart sink.She wasn’t here.Nervously he worked the strap of his bag as he felt a lump in the back of his throat.He hadn’t slept in almost twenty four hours and his self restraint was slowly crumbling. 

The flight to Casper was surprisingly full as the ticket agent called for the next group.Standing, Tim went to the back of the line as he leaned against a pillar. His eyes scanned the terminal.If he could see himself right now he was sure he would puke. He felt desperate beyond belief and was sure he looked just as pitiful. Pinching his eyes shut he tried to explain this to himself even thought he knew he couldn’t. 

First there was Isabel.He hadn’t see her in months, not since the day he went to the rehab and they ended things between them for good.He thought that she was in his past, that he had moved beyond looking for her in the face of every junkie he came across, but he was wrong.A part of him, a very small part, would always love her.She was his wife; they shared so much with each other.From the academy all the way to the day she told him she was going undercover, he loved her like he had never loved anyone else.Her addiction had been the ultimate betrayal and where he had once been filled with love, he was now filled with hurt and anger.A deep hole of despair that nearly swallowed him alive.Over time the anger faded and in its place a sadness grew for everything that should have been.

He existed in that sadness for so long that by the time Lucy Chen showed up he was sure he didn’t have the ability to feel anything anymore.The walls he had built were so high he was certain no one would ever get over them.But she did and she knew him and saw him for what he really was. There weren’t many people he let his guard down in front of; a protective mechanism from when he was a kid. Closing his eyes he shook his head at the memory.

_The old man was drunk like always tearing through the supermarket searching for another bottle of his old friends; Jim, Jack, or Johnny. Six year old Tim trailed behind him, crashing into the back of his legs as he stopped abruptly. Looking down the old man snarled as he threw a couple quarters at him._

_‘Get off my ass and go find a soda machine.’_

_Standing on his tip toes Tim plugged the quarters into the machine as he stared at the choices.Pushing then button for Pepsi he retrieved the red, blue, and white can from the dispenser.Wandering back into the store he looked for his old man at the register but didn’t see him.Frantically he ran up and down every aisle but he wasn’t there.A panic built inside his little body as he pushed the glass doors open.Stopping on the curb he inhaled sharply.The truck was gone and in it’s place an empty oil stained parking spot._

_Tears came to his eyes as he spun around in a circle.Some other kid might have entertained that this was an elaborate, albeit cruel joke and that his old man would pop out from around the building yelling “Gotcha”.But Tim knew better; he was alone.Wringing his little hands over the cold, sweaty soda can he began to cry._

Opening his eyes he inhaled.Lucy Chen was so far inside of him that he was standing here like a six year old wringing his hands over the strap of his bag; hoping, praying that her face would be the next one coming around the corner. 

“This is the final boarding call for United 4510 to Casper, Wyoming.All passengers must board the aircraft at this time.”The terminal was empty as Tim felt a knife slice though his heart.She wasn’t coming.Taking a deep breath he tried to be logical.Sliding his phone from the inside of his coat he looked at the screen; no missed calls and no messages.Opening the lock screen he hovered over her name before pressing the power button again.She had been through enough and didn’t owe him anything.Swallowing hard he turned, walking toward the gate agent.

The young blonde girl scanned his pass and smiled at him, “Have a wonderful flight.”Tim forced a smile that he certainly didn’t feel as he moved toward the sky bridge. 

“WAIT !”A commotion behind them as Lucy came running.Her hair was messy andher face flushed as her chest heaved with exertion.She looked a mess but despite that she was the best goddamn thing he had ever seen.Not because she was beautiful because even a blind man could see that, and not because she was his partner because he couldn’t deny that any longer either, but because she was real and she was here and believed in what they were about to do just as much as he did. 

Lucy pushed the hair out of her face as she produced a crumped up boarding pass from her back pocket.Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tim staring at her.She had barely made it to the gate.At the security check point she had been selected for additional screening which required a pat down.Closing her eyes she bit her lip as the TSA agent slid the back of his hand over her waist; over the tattoo.Her mind flashed back to him as she found herself in the throes of a panic attack.Chest tight and heart racing she kept it together long enough to get through the checkpoint and then found herself in the bathroom bent over the toilet, her empty stomach heaving.It took her a long time…too long…to get herself together.It did occur to her that maybe she shouldn’t be doing this, that she wasn’t ready for it, or couldn’t handle it.Tim could have asked Angela to go with him, maybe he should have, but he didn’t.He asked her; his partner, and she didn’t want to let him down.She also didn’t want to be in LA without him; didn’t really want to be anywhere without him.Lucy wasn’t sure when that happened but it certainly had happened. 

When she turned to fully face him she was expecting to see doubt, anger, or even disappointment, but what she saw on his face surprised her.It was relief, pure and simple. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it not really sure what to say.Shaking his head the corner of Tim’s lip twitched up.

“What did I tell you about time management, Boot?” Lucy let out a sigh of relief as the tension in her shoulders melted down her back.The ticket agent looked between them clearly puzzled. 

Picking her bag back up she flashed him an easy smile.“You said I wasn’t very good at it….”They stood there for a moment just looking at each other before the ticket agent spoke up.

“The flight is about to leave if you’ll both board and take your seats now…” Snapping out of it Tim nodded to her as they both disappeared onto the jet bridge, the agent closing the door behind them. 

* * *

**Wind River Indian Reservation**

**Just North of Lander, Wyoming**

The ATV bounced down the dirt trail as the operator pushed the throttle forward. The sled in tow scraped over rocks and uneven terrain as it fish tailed side to side.It was early March and while it was still bitter cold, most of the snow had melted during the unusually warm winter.The man on the ATV spit a wad of chaw off to the side as kept the vehicle pointed toward the tree line, his eyes narrow and menacing. From behind a voice yelled up.

“How fucking far are we going?” Not answering he kept the throttle depressed as he skidded off the dirt path and into a thicket of pine trees.They were at the foot of the Absaroka Range as the terrain from here on out would change from rolling high plains to steep inclines.This was as good a place as any. Another ATV pulled in behind him as he eyed the driver.

“Something better you got to do?” Unlashed the tarp on the sled he waited for answer that didn’t come.Joey Ferguson got off his own ATV as he stared down at the dead body of a young girl.She was sixteen…maybe….her caramel colored skin had paled in death.She lived on the Res, at least that’s what his cousin told him, and her parents were both in the bottle.She wanted to get out. That’s how Chris got her on the hook; told her he was from LA and that when his contract was over at the fracking site he was going back.Chris grabbed her by the legs dragging her off the sled as Joey watched. “You going to help me or just stand there?”

Chris had gotten her drunk last night and they all took turns with her after she passed out.When she finally came to she tried to stab Chris and he took the opportunity to strangle her.Joey watched as her eyes bugged out of her head, her lips twisted and begging in her final moments.The sight of it all was made even more vivid by the Meth pumping in his veins.He laughed as he watched her body twitch under Chris’s weight.Joey had come out here to lay low, avoid getting that third strike, and yet here he was tangled up in a second murder.It didn’t matter though, no one would find this girl, the buzzards and coyotes would get to her first. 

The two men hauled her over behind at trees a they dropped her roughly to the ground. Joey’s eyes wandered over her tan pants and the bloom of blood between her legs.For a moment his mind flashed back to the blonde bitch back in LA, Isabel, and the way she screamed when he held her down.The corners of his mouth turned upward as he looked at the Native girl, her black hair tangled and matted with blood.He didn’t even know her name…didn’t really care either.Following Chris back to the ATVs he didn’t look back. Wasn’t the first time he dumped a woman, like a piece of garbage, and walked away. 

* * *

Lucy’s head rattled against the side of the plane as they hit turbulence.Pulling her arms in tighter around herself her eyes flicked out the window to the endless blue sky.She was tired beyond belief as this was the first time she had stopped moving in almost twenty four hours. Forcing herself to sit up straight she adjusted the overhead vent to blow cold air in her face.She didn’t want to fall asleep; not here, not now. The nightmares didn’t come every night but when they did she usually woke screaming, sweat drenched, and throughly panicked.Her eyelids drooped as she inhaled sharply forcing herself back awake.Gaze wandering to her seat mate she tried to appear casual.Because they booked so late, the airline was unable to seat them next to each other.The woman to her right snapped her gum as she bent over a laptop clearly too busy to be bothered with anything.Taking a deep breath, Lucy looked out the window at the clouds; her mind too tired and numb to think.Despite her best efforts, sleep began to claim her as her eyes slowly slipped closed. 

_He stared at her victoriously, his lips turned slightly upward.He thinks he’s won and for all intents and purposes it seemed as though he had.The dry desert air blew her hair around her face as she tugged on the zip ties around her wrists.The barrel was rusted and old._

_“Get in.”She looked at him, she wasn’t going in that barrel without a fight._

_“I’m not getting in there.”He laughed as she felt like she was going to throw up._

_Reaching for his back pocket he produced a gun at his side. “You see they all say that but then they all get in….You know why?”He pointed the gun at her head.This wasn’t the first time someone pointed a gun at her and she didn’t flinch. She could see the disappointment in his face. “Because in that barrel is hope…out here only death.”_

_Lucy stared at him; he was right although she wasn’t sure if it would be better to just get this over quickly.Still she couldn’t give up, not yet. They would come for her, she knew it.Putting her hands on the rim of the barrel, she discretely pulled her ring off throwing it aside.A slim chance but one she would cling to._

_Settling down inside she looked up at him, his narrow blue eyes and sadistic smirk.“Any last words?” She stared at him, even if this was it she wasn’t going to beg.She would never beg._

_“Yeah….Fuck You.”He laughed as he lifted the lid showing her the camera system._

_“So I can watch.”Looking down at her hands she refused to see the look on his face as he snapped her into this prison.The lid clamped down as she was in absolute darkness. Caleb kicked the side of the barrel as it crashed against the earth._

The place bounced roughly with turbulence as Lucy woke with a gasp.Her heart was pounding and her hands shaking.Her chest was tight and she felt like there as no air as she wheezed.Looking around the bright sunlight filled the plane but all she saw was the darkness of the barrel.She had to get out of here.Standing up abruptly her face was covered with sweat as she pushed into her seat mate’s tray table. 

“Excuse me ?” The woman looked at her annoyed.Lucy stuttered unable to make a word as the woman got the idea sliding her laptop into her chest and turning her knees to the side.Papers scattered on the floor as she tripped over the woman’s legs into the aisle.The plane vibrated again as she grabbed onto the seat backs to steady herself.Behind her she heard an annoyed huff as she hurried toward the bathroom.

Tim’s eyes flicked up at the disturbance a few rows ahead. As soon as she saw her stand up he knew something was wrong.Rushing past him she didn’t make eye contact as a flight attendantattempted to stop her at the restrooms. 

“Miss…the Captain has turned the fasten seat belt sign on. You must return to your seat now.”He heard the door to the lavatory slam shut as the flight attendant clicked her lips in annoyance.She wasn’t ready for this;he shouldn’t have asked her to come.Casting a glance back at the lavatories he let out a sigh.It was too late now, better or worse, they were in this together.Reaching under the seat for his bag, Tim unbuckled his seat belt and proceeded forward.

The woman Lucy had been sitting next to looked up at Tim as he stood in front of her. 

“What?” The annoyance in her face apparent.Tim smiled politely as he nodded toward the empty seat Lucy had been in.

“That’s my wife you’re sitting next to.” His heart skipped a beat at the lie making him feel warmer than it should.The woman scowled as he chucked his finger toward the bathroom.“She gets really bad air sickness.Probably what’s going on right now.Last time she threw up for most of the flight.”The woman flashed him a disgusted look.“I think it would be best if we switched seats unless you want to…” He nodded toward the air sickness bags in the seat pocket, “Hold the full ones until we land.”The woman shook her head in disgust.Gathering her things she gave Tim a dirty look before proceeding to take his seat a few rows back. 

Stepping out of the lavatory, Lucy wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.The cold water on her face had stifled the panicked, tight feeling in her chest just long enough for her to remember that Caleb could never hurt her again.Holding on to seat backs, the plane continued to vibrate as she walked shakily back to her seat.Counting the numbers she tried not to think about what she would say to her seat mate when she got back. 

Reaching 34A she felt her heart skip a beat as the blonde woman was gone and Tim was in her place.Actually he was in her seat and the aisle seat was empty. Looking back to where he had been, she saw the woman glaring over her laptop.Tim looked up at her, offering a smirk as he pointed forward. “You know the fasten seat belt sign is on.”Lucy rolled her eyes as she slid into the aisle seat, clasping the buckle around her waist.She didn’t know what to say.He had known that something was wrong; how did he always do that? He knew her almost as well as she knew herself, which was scary and surprisingly wonderful all at the same time.“While you were breaking the rules back in the toilet…” she smirked, shaking her head, “The Captain informed the rest of us that we should be touching down in about two hours…thirty minutes ahead of schedule.”She nodded appreciating that he wasn’t making a big deal out of what just happened. 

“Sounds good.”Hesitantly she met his eyes, suddenly aware of how close they were.Tim stared at her looking over her brown eyes, tiny nose, and pink lips; lingering a bit too long he felt self conscious, which was rare, and averted his gaze.But she didn’t and he was aware that she was still staring at him. Meeting her eyes again, he saw desperation; she was doing her best to hang on; sleep coming easily. 

“Get some rest.”He swallowed offering her a reassuring nod.“I’ll be here.”Lucy bit her lip as she also nodded.Settling back into the too stiff seat she closed her eyes again.At this point she was weary beyond words. 

Lucy slid forward in her seat as the plane made contact with the ground.Looking around it took her a moment to realize where she ways. Thankfully, she had drifted into a deep and dreamless sleep.Slowly she became aware that she was leaning against something soft and warm…and comforting.Blinking it all came back to her as she pushed herself up straight not wanting to make eye contact and embarrass herself further.She had fallen asleep on her TO’s shoulder.Did she mumble in her sleep ? Did she drool? Why didn’t he straighten her up in the first place ?Swallowing hard, she stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye. 

Stretching he yawned dramatically.Maybe they had both been asleep, maybe she would be spared certain mortification over the whole situation, maybe….

“Sleep well, Boot?”Lucy averted her gaze as she nodded.“Think I dozed off myself for a while.”And that was it. It was done and nothing more would be said about everything that just happened. Belts unbuckled around the plane as the jet came to a stop.Casper was a small airpot and there were no jet bridges. Tim watched as the ground crew wheeled a set of stairs over.His eyes wandered out the window and over the white capped mountains and desolate landscape.Reality setting in just how far from home they really were. 

* * *

As they turned into Lander she began to realize what a place of contrast this really was.Against the backdrop of natural beauty and grandeur was a gritty reality of poverty and hopelessness.Kids stood on the sidewalks, their clothing filthy, their hair unkept and knotted.They stared straight ahead with vacant eyes, a two liter of mountain dew being shared between the group, a deflated basketball at their feet.A man slumped over a bench nearby as another laid face down in the grass.Graffiti marred several store fronts as her eyes roved over a Methadone Clinic and Liquor Store in one.Looking away she cast a glance at Tim who was surveying the street with practiced cop eyes. 

“What the hell kind of place is this?” She shook her head looking back up.

He didn’t seem surprised though.“Like the kind of place where a shit bag like Ferguson would want to hide out.” 

The Lander Motel was at the edge of town with nothing after it but deserted highway and nothing before it but destitution and depression.Behind it an abandoned playground overgrown with weeds and trash overlooked a rolling field that butted up against the steep blue hued mountains. 

The front office was dated and small as she pulled the door open, the bell jingling overhead.A man with a plain expression appeared behind the counter.His flannel shirt was tucked neatly into his pants as the cowboy hat sat slightly cocked on his head. 

“Can I help you?” The TV on the counter flickered.

Handing him a couple twenties Tim spoke first, “We need a room.”

The man took the money as he looked between them. “How many nights?”

Tim shrugged, “We’ll start with two, after that we’ll pay day to day.” 

The man nodded as he took a key down from a rack and tossed it across the desk.“Number Seven, it’s out to the right. Ice Machine and vending at the end of the hallway, Diner across the street is open till midnight.”Tim showed that he understood; this was clearly a place where they didn’t ask too many questions. 

As they proceeded past the numbered doors Lucy didn’t want to get her hopes up for anything decent.As long as the sheets were clean and the water was hot she would overlook the rest.Turning the key to room seven the door swung open as Lucy instantly felt her face go hot.There was only one bed.Surely the man at the desk assumed they were together.Tim paused looking between the bed and her flustered expression, his eyebrows quirking up in slight amusement. 

Lucy stammered, “I’ll….I’ll go see if they have another one.”Dropping her bag she took the key from his hand and marched back to the front office.The bell jingled more vigorously upon her reentry as the man from earlier was now sitting behind the desk his feet up on the counter staring at the shitty TV. 

“Yes?” 

“I…” She rolled her eyes, she was being ridiculous. “Don’t you have a room with two beds?”She said it almost accusingly as if this stranger would have known they were not together…well not like that.

Kicking his feet off the counter he stood up eyeing her.“Don’t got no rooms with two beds…most of our clientele are just needing the one if you know what I mean.” 

Go figure that.“Ok…well what about another motel in town?” Turning she gestured out the window back to the wasteland of Lander. 

The man, his name on a plate behind the desk; Gary Lambert, looked at her quizzically.“Well honey there’s only one more motel in town.Called the Central Hotel; it about a mile back. You could try there, just reopened a few days ago.”Lucy smiled with relief as she slammed the key back on the counter.Pressing a button on the register, Gary Lambert produced the two twenties sliding them back to her. 

Turning to leave, Lucy stopped short at the door. “I hear it’s not bad now that they got rid of all the bed bugs…” Grimacing she felt her stomach turn.Spinning on her heel she slid the twenties back across the counter as he tossed her the key, a smirk on his face. 

When she returned to the room, Tim was staring out the back window at the endless rolling hills and the white capped peaks.Coming to stand beside him she followed his gaze. “This is all they have….and the other hotel in town has bed bugs.”Tim let a laugh escape his lips. 

“I can sleep on the floor…don’t worry.”Lucy shook her head.

“No…don’t be ridiculous.”Pulling the sweater tighter around herself.“It’s already freezing in here.”He was quiet again as his gaze stayed straight ahead.Hesitantly she prodded.“What are you thinking?”

Tim exhaled, he was thinking a lot.“I was thinking…how hard it’s going to be to find someone in all this…”

Lucy sighed, “We’ll find them…all we need is a little bit of luck.” 

Snorting Tim shook his head “I don’t know if there is any luck in a place like this…”.

**TBC…..!! Please Review. !!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Sorry for the delay ! It’s been a crazy week and I dumped water all over my laptop.Miraculously I was able to resurrect it.Enjoy !

**Chapter Four**

**Lander, Wyoming**

Taking a sip of coffee Lucy looked up at the Lander Police Department. It was a squat brick building in the middle of town that if she hadn’t been looking would have missed completely.An American flag snapped in the cool mountain breeze as she followed Tim inside.Neither of them had stopped moving since the moment they found Isabel’s body; they couldn’t afford to with the clock still ticking.Just like the cliche show, if most homicides don’t have a lead in 48 hours, they won’t ever be solved.On top of that, being here, in Wyoming, was nothing more than a hunch, a tip from a drug dealing boyfriend; but Tim believed in it almost immediately and because of that she believed in it too.

The entirety of the Lander Police Department could fit inside of their roll call room back at Mid-Wilshire.The building was old, and painted cream cinderblock, the floors were white tile that had seen better days.Four desks were arranged around the small room with a pair of cells in the back and a hallway that led to a rear parking lot.As the door slammed shut a man in a cowboy hat and brown uniform looked up from his desk, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.Blowing a cloud of smoke his face was momentarily obscured.

“You the cops from LA?” His chair screeched across the floor as he stood up moving toward them. 

“Do we stand out that much?” Lucy’s nervous laughter filled the room.Throwing his smoke down in the overfilled ash tray, he pushed the wide brimmed hat back on his head just a little.

“This is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone…” Tim nodded understanding as he extended his hand.

“Tim Bradford, this is my partner, Lucy Chen.”Lucy felt her breath catch in her throat.Meeting Tim’s eyes, he showed no indication that what he just said was a slip.He meant it.They were partners now. 

The hat nodded at them both as she shook their hands, a certain doubt written all over his face.“George Mills…I’m the sheriff here in Lander.I have two deputies and a secretary that comes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”He paused for a moment.“I’m sure it’s a far cry from what you’re used to.”Tim shook his head making sure the Sheriff knew they weren’t interested in one upping him with their fancy LAPD careers.

“We’re all doing the same job.Dirt bags no matter where you go. Having more doesn’t mean it’s any easier to get things done…sometimes just the opposite.”Lucy smiled to show she was in agreeance as the Sheriff was quiet for a moment.Leaning back against his desk he nodded.

“I’m sure you folks are plenty capable but I should warn you…” Lucy swallowed hard Tim’s right hand twitched subconsciously next to the gun on his waist. Regarding them thoughtfully the Sheriff was silent for a moment before speaking.“The Reservations is a very, very dangerous place especially for women.” His eyes landed on Lucy as she felt her heart pound in her chest. Taking a deep breath she willed herself to calm down; not here…not now. 

Tim spared a glance in her direction before narrowing his eyes slightly at the Sheriff. “That won’t be a problem.I don’t plan on splitting up for any reason.”Lucy didn’t miss the edge in his voice.He still blamed himself for what happened to her. Meeting his eye briefly she relaxed.Whatever they did, it would be together. 

The Sheriff looked between the two of them before continuing, “The Tribal Police can tell you more but unless you find your guy in Lander I can’t help you at all.” Walking around the desk to a map on the wall he motioned them over.Pointing to a green swath of land just north of Lander he nodded,“This here is the Rez…as they call it. Most of it is rugged terrain accessible only by ATV or snow mobile in the winter.”Turning he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his breast pocket offered one to both Tim and Lucy. “Care for a smoke?”They shook their heads no, Lucy in somewhat a state of awe.This department, this whole town, was stuck in the past about thirty years.Stuffing a cigarette into his mouth he lit up before looking back at the map, “Anyway…the Bureau of Indian Affairs has jurisdiction inside the Rez over all Indians but if a white man commits a crime on their land they can’t do much about it. They have to call the Wyoming State Police out of Cheyenne or sometimes Casper” 

Lucy stepped up to the map, “And how far is Cheyenne?” The sheriff smirked at her through lips curled around the cigarette. 

“Almost three hundred miles…Trooper that found your guy’s car was on his way back from weapons training in Jackson Hole. You heard of Jackson Hole…right?”

Lucy smiled, “I heard it’s beautiful there…” The Sheriff cut her off blowing a cloud of smoke around the three of them.

“It was until they made it a tourist trap…fucked that place right up.”The smile fell from her face as Tim shook his head. 

“So you were saying….if a non-indian commits a crime on the Reservation the tribal police have no authority ?”

The sheriff nodded “Right.”

“And you have no authority ?”Tim met his eyes.

“My jurisdiction ends at the edge of town…same way your place works.”

Tim turned around so the Sheriff couldn’t see his face.Eyeing him Lucy took a deep breath; he didn’t know it was going to be this hard. No…hard wasn’t even the word. Impossible was more like it.Stepping forward she was eager to find some shred of hope in this whole disaster.

“Can we see the car now?” The Sheriff turned from the map and gestured toward the back door.Tucking he cigarette between his lips he nodded.

“Sure…it’s right out back.”Without thinking Lucy grabbed onto Tim’s forearm making him look at her. Meeting his eyes she felt a sudden overwhelming sadness at the desperation she saw there. 

“We’ll find him.”Nodding seriously she didn’t remove her hand right away as they lingered, lost in each other’s gaze.Putting his hand over hers, the corner of Tim’s lip twitched up. 

“Thanks…”Turning they followed the Sheriff out the back door. 

The back lot of the Lander Department was mostly empty save for a few patrol vehicles and a row of broke down cars.Throwing his cigarette to the pavement and stomping it out, George Mills pointed to a black Toyota Camry with California plates. 

“Highway Patrol had it towed and dropped here after they talked to you….Washed their hands of it real quick when they heard your man was hiding out on the Rez, said call the Feds.”The sheriff shrugged his shoulders, “Welcome to Wyoming.Land of DIY law enforcement.” 

Walking over to the car Tim yanked the driver’s side door open.High clouds rolled overhead as the sunlight cast irregular moving shadows over the car’s interior.Lucy rounded the back of the car pushing the trunk up.It was empty save for a few plastic grocery bags.Shining her flashlight over the interior she found no stains or anything else suspicious. 

Opening the console and glove box, Tim sifted through empty candy wrappers, potato chips bags and receipts.The car was surprisingly devoid of any personal items as he reasoned Ferguson probably dumped it somewhere along the road.Lucy slammed the trunk down as Tim let out a frustrated sigh.He was hoping the car would give him some kind of solid reassurance that this was the right track…that Ferguson had done it and was here, in Wyoming, just like shitbag Mickey said he was.Some solid proof that he killed her besides the word of another criminal. 

Squatting down he rested his forehead in his hand, his elbow propped on the worn upholstery of the driver’s seat.The sheriff stood, hands on his hips as he lit another cigarette, not taking particular note of Tim’s rapidly building desperation.Coming behind him Lucy struggled to come up with something, her eyes roving over the car. 

“Did you look between the seat and the console?” Tim cast a glance at her.Shrugging she offered reassuringly, “Things are always falling out of my pocket and ending up there.”Sighing he pushed himself into the car shining a flashlight in the crack.Quarters..a pen…and then something gold and shiny caught his attention. 

Looking back at Lucy he shook his head affirming that this had been a good idea. “There’s something there…”. She smiled, finally some hope.Jamming his hand in the small gap he wiggled back up with a small gold charm on a delicate chain.Turning it over in his hand he rubbed his thumb over it as Lucy heard a faint gasp.She didn’t know what it was but she knew, in that moment, that it had belonged to Isabel.Stepping back she gave him some room as she walked around to the car back toward the Sheriff. 

“We’re going to need to talk to Tribal Police.”Mills nodded assuming that they found something in the car that tied Ferguson to their victim.Holding the smoke between this index and middle finger he pointed north toward the snow capped peaks

“Wind River Department is about fifteen mile north in Fort Washakie.”Taking drag he looked at her from under the brim of his hat. “Don’t stop anywhere between here and there…”Lucy swallowed as she nodded.They were from LA, land of gangs and drugs, yet this country sheriff was giving her a warning so ominousit made her shiver. 

Slamming the door shut behind them, Tim came to join as the Sheriff acknowledged him.“Find what you’re looking for?”Tim looked at the ground before nodding, the emotion on his face clear to Lucy. 

“Yeah.”The cold mountain air blew through the parking lot as Tim squinted back at the car. “What are you doing with it?” 

The Sheriff shrugged indifferently.“If you don’t want it, they’ll send it to auction with all the others….”A smirk came to his lips as he shook his head. “I called that Barbara Ferguson…the owner.She told me ‘I don’t have any fucking money so do what you want…’ Ran the VIN against leins and apparently it was about to be repo-ed anyway.” The sheriff let out a low chuckle as he tipped his hat at them.“I guess you are right; we wade in the same pile of shit no matter where we are.”Tim looked at him out of the corner of his eye as a smirk came to his lips.Nodding his thanks to the Sheriff the man made to go back inside the building before turning back to them once more.“You two be careful up there, you hear ?” 

Lucy smiled, “We will. Thank you.” 

* * *

_‘You know I don’t wear jewelry..”Turning she moved her blonde hair so that he could fasten the clasp around her neck.She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled._

_The charm was small but shined in the light. The overlapping W’s were secured on either side by a delicate chain.‘Wonder Woman’.Finished with the clasp he put a hand on either shoulder as he stared at her in the mirror.Leaning in close to her ear he whispered._

_‘There’s nothing you can’t do, Isabel.Nothing in this world is ever going to get you down.You’re the closest thing to a super hero that I’ve ever found.’ Tears came to her eyes as she turned and their lips met._

The memory faded as Tim blinked his eyes.The deserted highway banked around a corner as an unceremonious green sign came into view. 

_‘You are now entering The Wind River Indian Reservation’._ Lucy licked her lips, sense of trepidation filling her heart.Looking back at Tim she hesitantly opened her mouth, “What did you find in the car?”

He exhaled keeping his eyes on the road.It wasn’t that he didn’t want to tell her; strangely enough he had found the desire to tell her everything lately.It was just hard and he didn’t have an explanation for why he still cared so much after all this time….after everything that had changed between them.He didn’t even know Isabel anymore, she had become someone else entirely, but he knew who she used to be and he grieved for that person. 

Reaching into his coat pocket he produced the necklace.Holding her hand out, Lucy took the jewelry reverently as she stared at it.Wonder Woman.Tim inhaled sharply before he spoke, “I gave it to her when we graduated the academy.I…I told her that she was the closest thing to a superhero that I’d ever found.There was nothing she couldn’t do.”Looking down at the charm Lucy couldn’t find the words for an adequate reply so she just stayed silent squeezing the overlapping W’s into her palm. 

Handing it back to Tim she looked at it briefly before averting her eyes.His gaze flickered from the road momentarily before he shook his head.

“No…you hold on to it for me.”Lucy opened her mouth to protest; she didn’t seem important enough for the simple task he asked of her.Seeing this Tim shook his head as a nervous, emotional laugh escaped his lips.“No, I….I think it would just be easier if you kept it for now, OK?”He looked at her uncertainly.Lucy’s lips twitched as she tried to keep her own emotions in check. 

“Ok…” It was a whisper but she knew he heard her when he nodded his head.Offering her a sad smile he momentarily met her eyes.

“OK.”

They rode in silence for a short time, the barren mountainous landscape rolling on to eternity.The first sign of life appeared on the left side of the highway as a few trailers came into view.They were run down; the window screens flapping in the breeze, the white siding gray and sagging from the frame.As they got closer she could make out a few men sitting around a bonfire, their hands jammed into their pockets, their eyes vacant and staring into the flames. As they passed, a man with long black hair stood staring straight at them.Raising his hand to mimic a pistol he pointed it toward them as he jerked it back; imaginary bullet discharged.Tim hit the gas as Lucy turned in her seat looking out the rear window.The man stood still staring at them; an upside down American flag flapping in the breeze behind him.Swallowing hard Lucy turned back around.She stopped short as her eyes landed on Tim’s service piece sitting on his thigh, his right hand holding it protectively. 

Nodding to her own hip, he cleared his throat.“Get it out…make sure you’re ready for anything.” Lucy paused before hesitantly nodding, she should have known to do that.Pulling her Glock from the holster she held it between her legs, finger straight and off the trigger but ready at a moment’s notice. 

“Did you mean what you said back there…..that I was your partner?”She didn’t look at him right away afraid of what she might see.Tim continued to drive in silence as her eyes slowly wandered toward him, curiosity getting the best of her. Lucy had learned that he had a way of looking alert but relaxed at the same time; years of practice from not only the streets of LA but also the military.The edges of his face softened slightly as he looked at her briefly before looking back to the road.

“I…I wouldn’t have asked you to come if you weren’t my partner.”The meaning of it didn’t immediately settle on her as she opened her mouth to protest. 

“I mean I know we work together, but being your rookie isn’t the same as being your partner….”She trailed off, they were partners in the literal sense yes but being actual ‘partners’ meant so much more than that. 

Tim was quiet for a moment, “Is that what you think? That I brought you because I’m stuck with you….because I have to train you?”His voice was an octave higher than usual and she couldn’t decide if it was anger or something else. 

“No…I didn’t mean that.I just..being a partner really means something and I’m sure you don’t want anyone to know how inexperienced I am and…”

He cut her off his voice quiet, “Lucy…” Swallowing hard she shut her mouth looking out the window feeling suddenly embarrassed.“Yes, you’re right there is still so much I want to teach you and show you.I want you to know everything I know.I want to give you everything that I can so that you are safe, and smart, and that you survive this job and come out better than you came in.”She nodded turning to look at him, her hands squeezing the gun between her legs harder.“But you should know you aren’t my rookie anymore.You’re my partner and you have been for a long time.”Looking out the side window he shook his head. His left elbow propped against the window as he covered his mouth with the back of his hand. Drawing in a ragged breath an unexpected wave of emotion came over him.“And…I…I need you right now.” 

Tears came to Lucy’s eyes.Nobody had ever said anything like that to her before.For most of her life emotions were something to be neatly categorized and filed.Something to be picked and perused, discussed abstractly, but never felt.At least not felt so raw and real as they were in this moment.Nodding she swiped her face before he could see the effect his words had just had.Tim had enough of his own shit to deal with right now without making her feel better.“Thanks.”It was a stupid reply but it was all she could manage. 

* * *

Fort Washakie was just that; an outpost in the middle of nowhere.The small town rose out of the rolling brown landscape, framed in the back by jutting blue hued mountains and endless sky. The municipal building wasn’t hard to find as Tim guided the rental into an open space.Unlike Lander, there was no one on the streets here as the whole town took on a distinct feel of isolation.Holstering their weapons they proceeding into the building not exchanging a word. 

An older man looked up from his desk as the door slammed behind them.He was Indian with graying black hair trimmed close and a goatee.His uniform was dark and freshly pressed. “Can I help you folks?” 

Tim stepped forward extending his hand.“Tim Bradford…this is my partner Lucy Chen; LAPD.”Her lips turned upward as an unexpected surge of emotion came over her at the mention of just one word. 

The man nodded to them both.“Sam Bennett; Chief of Wind River.You folks sure are a long way from home.” 

Tim smiled as he exhaled, “We’re investigating a homicide…have reason to believe our man is on the Reservation somewhere.” 

The chief looked at them both before letting out a sigh.“I wish I could tell you I’m surprised.”Gesturing toward the coffee and pastries on the counter he smiled. “Help yourselves and follow me.”Disappearing around the corner he didn’t wait for an answer. 

Unlike the Lander department, the Wind River building was new and modern.No doubt the result of federal money via the Bureau of Indian Affairs.It was the only new, clean and modern thing Lucy had seen since they left Casper. Behind the row of desks was a small conference room that flanked another room with glass windows. Behind the windows were bulletin boards full of photos, notes, and maps.The Chief paused looking the photos before shutting the light off.Before the room went dark, Lucy caught sight of a young girl laying on the ground behind a tree, her face bloody, her clothing torn.The Chief walked past them sitting at the table. 

“I wish I could tell you that we don’t have the same problems here on the Rez that you have in LA but I’m afraid it isn’t true.”Taking his hat off he sat back in the chair, Lucy and Tim sliding in next to each other across the table. “The Res is 92 % Native American and 80% of them have no jobs, live below the poverty line, and are addicted to drugs or alcohol or both.There are at least two murders a month that we know about and women go missing regularly.There are no statistics kept for missing Native American women so no one knows how many are really gone.”Lucy tried to hide her surprise although the way the Chief raised his eyebrows she reasoned she hadn’t done a very good job of it.Taking a deep breath he continued, “The drug of choice is Meth but I’ve found most everything out there; Heroin, PCP, LSD, Ketamine, but mostly it’s Meth.” 

  
Tim clenched his jaw as he sat back in his chair.Maybe Ferguson was dealing here too, would be an easy way to make some cash.“The Sheriff in Lander told us that jurisdiction is complicated.”

The Chief let out a wry laugh as he leaned his elbows on the table folding his hands.“Oh…So I see you met the Marlboro Man.” A snort escaped Lucy’s lips as Tim’s lips twitched in an almost smirk. “Tribal police have jurisdiction over all Indians, all other people on the Res are the jurisdiction of the Wyoming State Police.So if a white man commits a crime here I can only detain him, not arrest.State Police can but they have to come out of Casper or Cheyenne which can takes hours and most times doesn’t happen at all.If a major crime is committed the FBI has jurisdiction; but that takes even longer. So basically, yes a white man can come onto the Res and do whatever he wants and I can’t do shit about it.” 

“ _Oliphant v. Suquamish_ , 1978….”Lucy was pleased with herself as the Chief turned to her smiling.

“Smart girl.” Tim’s initial confusion wore off as his partner turned toward him looking smug as ever.

“It was the Supreme Court case that stripped tribes of their right to arrest and prosecute non-Indians on their land.”Tim squinted at her, shaking his head.

“How do you know that?”

Lucy shrugged, “I like to read…we learned about it in the academy.”Tim turned back to the Chief. 

“I was a young boy, living on the Res, and I watched my uncle beat his wife half to death.Couldn’t stop it…I was only six years old.But I decided then that I would spend the rest of my life fighting for the people I cared about.” Leaning back he put his hands behind his head staring out the window into the barren landscape.“I’ve been fighting for what seems like forever….and it hasn’t gotten me shit..but I keep fighting.” Staring at the man, Tim rubbed a finger over his lips completely struck by the overwhelming hopelessness of this place.“I have five officers besides myself, we cover a piece of land the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined, last week one of my men drove four hundred miles in a single shift.There is no such thing as back upand the average cop only lasts about three years before they have enough of it.”

Tim rubbed his forehead; this just kept getting worse and worse.“Chief I can tell that you appreciate honesty so I’m just going to give it to you straight. We are here because we found my ex-wife in a pile of trash yesterday murdered.” Now it was the Chief’s turn to look shocked. “I was told that the man responsible is named Joey Ferguson and shorty after the murder he took off to avoid California’s three strike law.He’s apparently here, hiding out on the Reservation, because his cousin works at some fracking site on the land…”

The Chief sat up straight. “Those sons of bitches….”Tim and Lucy, their interest piqued, also sat forward.Standing up the Chief went toward the adjoining room flicking the light on again.The fluorescent bulbs flickered before illuminating the three bulletin boards on the wall.Standing up Lucy pushed her chair in as she wandered toward the Chief. Jamming hisfinger angrily toward the photos on the board he shook his head, “There are two leased sites on the Rez, Department of Energy owns them….Federal Land, they do oil drilling and fracking.Workers are almost all non-Indians, rough…dirty men.They come into town once in a while…get drunk, try to fight anyone who looks at them.”The Chief ripped a photo off the board handing it to Lucy.He was quiet for a moment, when he spoke again his voice was low…sad even… “That’s Christina…I’ve known her, well I’ve know her since she was a baby.Her parents lost a child…..after Christina; they never recovered from that, been in the bottle ever since. Some kids from the Rez, out joyriding on ATVs, found her yesterday.Coyotes didn’t get to her but the buzzards picked at her.…” 

Lucy stared at the picture of the young Indian girl.Her skin was perfect and caramel, her long black hair shiny even in death.Blood dried to her face as one eye was open the other closed.Lucy looked at her body, the way her right arm was bent behind her, the bruises on her chest and neck, and the the blood stain between her legs.Inhaling sharply she swallowed hard as Tim came to stand next to her, his eye narrowing on the photo.Handing it to him she wandered closer to the glass letting her eyes wander over the other photos. 

“She was in the middle of nowhere…closest thing was those fracking sites…” Making eye contact with Tim, the Chief shook his head.“Called the Feds…said they would be here eventually….” 

Lucy’s eyes landed on one particular photo as she edged closer.The body as propped against a tree as if she was just sitting there resting for a moment.Her head bent to the side in an unnatural way as her eyes once again were drawn to the red spot between her legs. Lucy felt her stomach turn.Behind her was a vast landscape of brown and green.Rolling hills that led to nothing which led to more nothing.Her heart began to pound in her chest as she felt all the air suck out of the room.In the blink of an eye a heavy weight settled on her chest as she leaned forward resting her hand on the board next to the photo. Her eyes transfixed on the image in front of her, although she wasn’t seeing it at all. 

_Her feet pounded on the stairs as she ran. She RAN.After smugly tattooing her date of death to the side of her boy, that prick Caleb had let his guard down and left her alone.She would make him pay and she did.When she saw him stumble backwards a genuine surprise coarsed through her. Scrambling to her feet she bolted for the door, sure that help would be just outside._

_Stopping short she audibly gasped as her eyes took in the desolate landscape.She had gotten loose but there was no where to run….no where to hide…and no one to help.Still…she wouldn’t give up.Running she felt her legs cut out from under her as she lurched forward hitting the ground hard.Lucy’s forearms burned with new abrasions as she struggled to push herself up._

_Footsteps scraped over the dirt and rocks….he was coming.He was coming._

Inhaling audibly she turned.She needed to get out of there.The Chief was looking at her saying something but she didn’t hear a word as she pushed past both he and Tim and ran toward the door. 

Tim knew something was wrong. Swallowing he licked his lips ready to make an excuse. 

“She ok?” The Chief looked genuinely concerned and Tim immediately liked him but what happened was Lucy’s business to share. 

Nodding Tim tried to appear convincing.“Yeah. It’s been a long day…long days actually.” The familiar guilt soured in the back of his throat as he swallowed it back. 

The Chief turned the light off to the evidence room as he crossed his arms over his chest.“You want to start somewhere….there’s a trailer out a ways….bunch of strung out Indians…they like Meth. Your guy is dealing here they might know where to find him.”Tim nodded, it sounded like as good a place as any. Leaning against the doorframe the Chief regarded him thoughtfully.“Whatever you do here will need to be off the books….I can go with you to the trailer but I have no jurisdiction on those fracking sites.You’ll be on your own there.” He paused for a moment before looking Tim right in the eye. “And you’ll need to ask yourself if you’re here for justice or for revenge.”

**TBC….**

Please **review ! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews so far**


	5. Chapter 5

" **Sally in the Alley"**

 **Author** : carmen_085

 **Disclaime** r: I don't own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

 **Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them. It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point. They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up. But they wouldn't go back, not until they found justice for her. (Takes place after 2x11)

 **Author's Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie "Wind River". Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women.

**Chapter Five**

**Wind River Indian Reservation**

The diner was small as they sat in silence looking out the window at nothing in particular. As much as Tim wanted to stalk off immediately and find someone who could tell them where Ferguson was, he also recognized that they needed to slow down before a mistake was made. Gaze wandering briefly to Lucy he took in her exhausted eyes, downturned lips, and slumped shoulders. Other than the plane, neither of them had stopped in over 24 hours and the cracks were beginning to show in both of them.

When Tim emerged from the station he found Lucy sitting in the passenger seat of their rental; eyes purposely averted as he approached. Climbing into the car he took a quick survey of her. To anyone else she would have appeared tired, annoyed even but not to him. Her chest was heaving with barely controlled emotion as he saw the fine tremble in her lower lip. They sat there in silence for a moment before he loudly exhaled not knowing how to say that he was sorry for asking so much of her when she obviously had so little to give. Turning the ignition Tim licked his lips. As much as he wanted to keep pushing, knowing they were already behind the eight ball as it was, he also knew that forcing something like this when you weren't ready led to nothing good.

The bell tinkled over the door as the Chief walked in causing both of them to look up. Offering a smile and nod, Tim got up from the booth walking around the table to slide in next to Lucy. He didn't have to do that, could have let the Chief sit down next to her. The older man slid in across from them with a groan, depositing his hat on the table. A woman dropped three coffee cups on the table as the chief smiled and nodded at her.

"What's the special today, Grace?" While the Chief's attention was turned toward the pretty young waitress, Tim slid closer to Lucy so that their bodies were pressed against each other. Scooting her own hips to the right she felt the warmth of his body against her as the familiar scent of his cologne filled her nostrils. Letting out a deep sigh her shoulders relaxed as the tension melted away. No one had ever had this kind of effect on her before, no one had ever made her feel better by just being next to her. He was like the warmest blanket on the coldest night; not even a single word needed to be exchanged.

Tim felt Lucy relax into him as he unknowingly also relaxed. He had never had someone that was so emotionally attached to him that just his mere presence was enough to have a physical effect on them. Not even Isabel; no matter how much he thought they loved each other, they ultimately plateaued emotionally not able to get to that next level. Maybe that's why she picked the drugs over him, she loved him but she didn't need him. If he was being honest, he didn't need her either, not like he found himself needing Lucy. God, that sounded so strange. When had he gotten so close to his rookie….his partner…that he needed her.

Hesitantly Lucy turned toward him, part of her wondering if this was all unintentional and she was reading into the situation. Overanalyzing as usual. Their gaze met as his lips spread into a soft smile that seemed like it was only for her. The corners of her own lips twitched upward as her heart tumbled in her chest. The waitress pushed a menu toward them, the shuffling sound on the table breaking the moment. Lucy felt dizzy as she looked down at the menu not reading any of the words.

"Know what you want?" They both struggled to come up with an answer as the Chief was quick to interject.

"Fry Bread Tacos….you won't regret it." Tim shrugged as he sat the menu down.

"Sounds good to me…" Lucy put her own menu on top of Tim's as she shook her head.

"Yeah I'll have the same." She was too tired and wrung out to dwell on something as simple as tacos.

The Chief looked to be in his mid fifties, weathered and worn but still with a light in his brown eyes. She noticed he was quiet but observant and that his eyes were always watching, roving, assessing. Staring across the table she saw him apprising her and Tim before he spoke thoughtfully.

"How long have you two been partners?" Tim smiled softly at her before turning back to the Chief. Lucy felt her body warm from the inside out. How did he always do that to her? But more than that, why did he always do that to her?

"Almost a year now." The Chief's eyes brows raised in surprise.

"I would have thought much longer than that." Lucy laughed nervously as she ran a hand through her hair. "There's something about the two of you…you're linked together deeper than what's on the surface."

Lucy squirmed slightly. She was never this transparent to anyone in LA, what the hell was happening here? Putting on a casual face she smiled at the Chief. "What makes you say that?"

The older man seemed non plussed as he shrugged. "Well for starters you're here together. This isn't your average place…it's rugged, dangerous…difficult. On top of that you're looking for a murderer." He took a long sip of coffee. "That takes something special…something more."

Spinning the coffee cup side to side, Tim spoke quietly. "On our first day together she saved my life; I've trusted her with it ever since." Lucy opened her mouth as she nervously licked her lips.

"We've saved each other more than once…." She was quick to interject. Ever since he had pulled her from that barrel, she felt like she couldn't do anything without him. Her eyes flicked toward the Chief and then Tim before looking back down. There was more, so much more and they both knew it.

"I had a partner once…a lot of years back. He was a good man. We worked together for almost ten years. There was a call out in the backcountry for a body found. I was already working a murder from earlier that week, my partner took an ATV and said he would be back soon. I never saw him again…" Staring out the window wistfully he shook his head deep in thought. "And we never found that body."

"They didn't investigate the death of a cop ?" Tim looked at the Chief incredulously.

Bennett nodded slowly. "Oh they investigated but sometimes things happen out there…." He looked over his folded hands seriously. "And there isn't anything left. Bears, wolves, coyotes…steep drop offs into canyons…frozen lakes, avalanches. Plenty of ways for a man to just disappear."

Lucy swallowed hard as the waitress reappeared with their food. The intensity of the moment thankfully broken with this welcome interruption. They hadn't stopped for anything in the last day and she was just now realizing how hungry she was. The Fry Bread Tacos were all the usual taco stuffings piled up high on a crispy, greasy, round of bread that was crunchy outside and pillowy inside. Folding the whole affair up she opened her mouth wide savoring the taste. It was no doubt one of the unhealthiest things she had eaten in a while yet also one of the most satisfying. Letting out a moan she hadn't realized it was audible until both Tim and the Chief laughed.

Nodding toward her the Chief smiled, "Told you that wouldn't regret it." Tim shook his head taking his own big bite and finding the same satisfaction although not nearly as verbal. Lucy shook her head as she wiped her mouth.

"How do they make this ?" The Chief rolled his own taco up as he took a bite, a wry smile crossed his face.

"When the white man came and began to force our people from their land the rounded them up and marched them to reservations. For centuries we lived off the land, but then overnight we were torn from our homes and our food supplies. The United States Army gave out rations of flour, sugar, salt and lard to supplement. And that is how Fry Bread came to be…."

Lucy nodded silently not realizing the painful history behind such a delicious piece of bread. "Can I ask you something, Chief?" Tim interjected as looked at the older man curiously.

"Go ahead…" The Chief took another bite not showing any signs that the checkered history of fry bread prevented him from enjoying the meal in front of him.

"Everything I've seen and heard makes this seem like a painful place….a way of life that takes more than it gives." The older man grunted his acknowledgement of those facts.

"You don't miss anything, Officer Bradford."

Licking his lips Tim shook his head in disbelief. "Then why do you stay? Why does anyone stay?"

Chief Bennett put his taco back onto the plate as he looked at Tim, "Have you lived in LA your whole life ?"

Tim nodded, "Born and raised…"

The Chief shrugged, "Why did your family not pack up and leave after the riots? After Rodney King? After they nearly burned the city to ground?" Tim was silent not having an immediate reply. "Because LA is your home. It's where your family was, your friends, your parent's jobs, everything you knew." The Chief pointed out the window at the vast, barren wilderness beyond. "This is my home. It's where I grew up, where my family and friends are, where my job is. But more than that; this land has belonged to my people for centuries. It's where we lived and died, where we made our homes and families. We fought for this land over and over, warriors spilled their blood for centuries to keep it because it was all we had. It fed us and clothed us, saw us through every harsh winter and every glorious summer." The Chief shook his head as he looked back at their astonished expressions. "I know I probably sound crazy to the both of you." His eyes wandered back out the window as his eyes skimmed the brown scrub grass and the steep blue peaks. "This land is my home and every time I set foot on the earth I am reminded of all the Arapaho that came before and all those that will come after. We are connected through this land. I feel it deep inside my bones when I'm out there….and I will wade through the deepest pile of shit to fight for the good people who are left here."

Lucy was speechless never having such a strong connection to anything let alone the ground she walked on. The Chief laughed a bit as he finished off his taco. "You will probably go back to LA and tell them all about the crazy Indian you met…."

Tim shook his head as he regarded the older man seriously, "No sir. I've honestly never met someone who had such a profound connection to the world. LA is my home, but if I'm being honest it's a superficial place full of superficial people who are only interesting in their own agenda. Most people don't give the ground beneath their feet a second thought, except when it begins to shake of course…" The three of them laughed. "But they never look up…"

The Chief crumpled his napkin on the table as he rubbed his hands together. Presenting his open palm toward the window he laughed, "Ahhh…I could never live in a place like that. This….all this is what God gave me and for that alone I am luckier than most. Sure I could spend all day looking down at the problems and the crime and all the other shit here but I choose to look up. And to me, there is no place more beautiful than right here."

Tim and Lucy both followed his gaze out the window staring at the great expanse.

* * *

Lucy's eyes bounced over the miles of nothing as they followed the Chief deeper into the reservation. High clouds rolled overhead as the sunlight flashed in and out. Lucy stared at the passing scenery as her mind wandered. They had only been here for a few hours and already she felt like everything she thought she knew about this place was completely false. Yes it was a place of poverty and hopelessness, drugs and violence, but it was also a place unlike anywhere else she had ever been.

The Chief's almost otherworldly connection to the earth was something that intrigued her beyond explanation. Despite all the shit here, he had an unbreakable union with this place not just because it was his home but because this land was what he truly believed God had given his people. And over hundreds of years they had fought for it, lived and died on it, bled for it. The rolling high plains, steep snow capped peaks, and endless sky were theirs and theirs alone. Taking it all in while trying to understand his connection to this place made Lucy feel small and insignificant but in the best possible way. For the last two months she had been obsessing over so may things; not least of all was the tattoo on her side. Looking out the window she suddenly felt a freedom she hadn't in LA. The world was big and beautiful, terrifying and unforgiving; and at the end of the day what was on her chest were just letters and numbers, nothing more.

A slight smile broke across her lips as the Chief turned down an access road, Tim following close behind.

"You ready for this?" Tim's body was taut with tension as her gaze lingered on his twitching jaw. She had seem him like this before but she knew it was more than just the situation. They had to track Ferguson down fast before he slipped away again.

Nodding she felt the tension mounting in her own body. "I'm ready." Lucy hoped that she sounded more convincing than she felt. Tim nodded silently putting the rental in park as he took his own weapon out. Lucy reached to open the door but was stopped short. Grabbing her forearm Tim forced her to look at him, his expression serious yet pleading. Why could she see that ? Tim was always so careful about keeping his emotions in check. She didn't know if it as because he let her see it or because she found a place to look where no one had ever been before.

"Listen…we do this like we always do it. We're smart about it; we take no chances."

Lucy offered him a reassuring nod. "Yes sir." Tim exhaled loudly leaning back in his seat but not letting her arm go. She sensed there was more but he didn't say anything else as she felt the warmth on her forearm reluctantly disappear. Turning her attention back to the trailer she saw the Chief standing outside his truck waiting for them.

Getting out of the rental she surveyed the property for the first time. A squat white trailer sat in what seemed to be a sea of garbage. Mostly appliances, a few cars, random twisted pieces of metal; all things that had most likely been stolen and stripped to support a habit. From inside loud grunge metal blasted as the undeniable smell of meth tickled her nose. Both Lucy and Tim had their guns out and drawn as they followed the Chief up to the door. Looking much more relaxed, Bennett had one hand on the butt of his revolver and the other raised to knock on the door.

"Open up, shitheads. It's the Police." Lucy studied his posture and surmised that he probably came here quite a bit.

The door opened listing sideways off the hinge as a man with sores all over his face appeared. His eyes were glassy as his mouth hung open halfway. Lucy's eyes were immediately drawn to the knife hanging off his belt. "Yo….Chief…what's up?" He swayed as a toothless grin spread across his face. Before they left the diner, the Chief told them two cousins; John and Martin Wolff lived in the trailer along with an assortment of other characters that rotated in to get high.

"Are you out of jail already?" The Chief leaned his left forearm against the doorframe, still keeping the other hand on his service piece.

"Yeah man….got out Friday. My cousin posted bail." The Chief shook his head in disbelief as he narrowed his eyes.

"Your cousin is out already too ?" The toothless strung out man in front of them laughed as he shook his head.

"Yeah man…" Tim was getting weary as he stepped up onto the porch behind the Chief.

"Are you John?" The man took a step back as he squinted at Tim, a sneer crossing his lips.

"Who the fuck are you?" Lucy stood at the foot of the steps, long cover in case this all went to shit. Her eyes perused the scene in front of her before scanning the rest of the trailer and the property nearby for any threats.

The Chief put his hand up to diffuse the situation. "These are cops from LA….looking for some white guy hiding out at one of the drill sites." A look of recognition briefly dawned across the man's drug addled face. Lucy saw it as she hoped Tim and the Chief did also. The man took a step back reaching into his pocket.

Tim felt his heart begin to race as the Indian reached into his coat pocket. Moving his finger to the trigger, he felt a familiar churning in the pit of his stomach. He was going to have to kill someone today. "SHOW ME YOUR HANDS!" The Chief pulled his own revolver out suddenly anticipating a gunfight. Tim knew that Lucy was behind him and that fact alone was a relief in itself. Staring at the man's hands he waited for the shiny metallic object to appear. When an orange spray can did instead, he hesitated for a moment. Why did he hesitate? Was it his cop instincts or was it because he was willing to put all of them at risk to find the information he wanted?

"FUCK YOU !" Tim felt the spray hit his face before the intense burn. The door slammed in front of him as the Chief pushed past coughing and struggling for air. Forcing his eyes open his vision was blurry as he went down to one knee. Holding the gun level toward the door he promised himself he would shoot first and ask questions later if it opened again. Wiping his eyes with the back of his coat sleeve he wheezed and coughed as instinctually he turned back to check on Lucy.

She saw the mist of the pepper spray before she realized what had happened. Backing up she subconsciously lowered her gun as her face tingled. Gasping the back of her throat began to tickle as the world around her disappeared.

_Pushing herself up she heard him coming. He was close now…right behind her. Lucy's long hair covered her face as she heard a sprayer and then the familiar irritation they trained her to cope with at the Academy. Letting out a pained gasp she began swinging her arm wildly. Just like they taught her. This was going to work, she was going to make it. She felt the contact with Caleb's face but there was no time to celebrate as she felt an equally sharp blow in return. All the air left her lungs as she felt him lift her and throw her to the ground. He had her now….he had her._

Tim looked back, his vision still a blur and mess. Despite that, though, he saw her standing there looking dazed, her gun lowered as she stared at him. "CHEN! CHEN!"

The conscious world came back as Lucy blinked. Taking a deep breath she coughed as she brought her gun back up. Running to Tim's side on the porch she didn't spare a glance at the Chief who was on his hands and knees, snot and tears covering his face. Hesitating she looked at him before he nodded. "Go. I'm right behind you."

Nodding she grabbed the door swinging it open and stepping into the trailer sweeping the first room right to left. The back windows of the ramshackle dwelling were blown out as a metal fire ring burned an open flame in the middle of the room. Graffiti and racial slurs adorned the walls. A man laid sprawled on the couch, a needle hanging out of his arm. Behind her Tim entered the trailer gun up and ready. Forcing his eyes to stay open he resisted the urge to rub them. He saw Lucy standing over the probable overdose on the couch as his eyes settled on the hallways that split left to right. The right side looked longer so he quickly chose that giving his partner a glance as he proceeded alone.

It wasn't smart and it wasn't how they did things but here he was doing it anyway. He had to find that little fuck who sprayed him because he knew…he just knew that prick had information. He saw the look on his face…the acknowledgement. This was their chance and he wasn't going to let it slip away. Two rooms forked off in the back as he cleared them both quickly finding no one. Turning Tim felt something shift inside of him. Something wasn't right. His mouth watered as he felt his stomach turn.

Lucy held her gun on the uncleared hallway as she inched closer to the body on the couch. Putting two fingers on the man's cold neck she felt nothing. Looking down for just a moment she shifted her focus to the dead body and away from the threat. Movement out of the corner of her eye but she was too late.

The Indian that had come to the door stood there with a shot gun. Before she could squeeze the trigger a pop came from her left as her ears began to ring. Tim made it back to the living area just in time to see the drugged out Indian fly backwards, shot gun falling inert at his side. A puddle of blood formed behind his head as the trailer filled with smell of a freshly fired revolver. Standing in the doorway the Chief slowly lowered the gun opening the chamber and expelling the spent casing on the floor. Producing a replacement shell from his pocket he loaded it and snapped the chamber closed.

"Now I have to clean my gun…fuck." Tim looked at the Chief before moving to clear the rest of the trailer. Cautiously Lucy moved toward the man with a hole in his head on the floor. Holstering his weapon the Chief stood next to her looking down. "This is John Wolff…piece of shit. The stiffy on the couch is Martin, his cousin." Lucy looked down at the man Bennett had just killed. He was still twitching slightly as his eyes rolled back in his head. Tim emerged from the back with an affirmative nod.

"It's clear." Holstering her weapon Lucy nodded tensely as she swallowed hard. She'd lost focus twice and the second time it nearly cost her everything. Looking up at Tim she expected to see disappointment or anger. But that wasn't it at all…he was upset, yes, she could see it all over his face. There was more, though, fear….relief…she wasn't sure.

"It's already getting dark. You folks should get yourselves back to Lander…." The Chief trailed off. "I'll take care of all this. Just need you to stop by tomorrow and give a statement." Tim nodded, disappointment written all over his face. The Chief looked down for a moment before offering them a sad nod. "I know this isn't what you wanted…I'm sorry we couldn't get you any information."

"Just glad nobody got hurt, Chief." Tim and Lucy turned to leave as the Chief spoke up causing them to pause.

"If you're going to that drill site tomorrow I'll show you the way…" He paused before continuing, "And give you both a shot gun..just in case." Tim nodded his understanding as Lucy stared at the Chief.

"Thank you for the back up, sir." Smiling at them he shrugged his shoulders.

"Anytime."

* * *

The ride back to Lander was silent. They were both exhausted and disappointed beyond belief. Opening the motel room door Lucy kicked her shoes off not bothering to get undressed before falling into bed. Closing her eyes she didn't know what to do. Tim was silent and tense, she could practically feel the anxiety radiating off of him. They had never been where they are right now. When something went wrong at work they parted for the shift and by the next day all was either forgotten or they had the clarity to work it out. This…this emotionally wrought place of no escape was new.

Lucy jumped as the bathroom door slammed closed. Hearing the shower turn on she reluctantly pushed herself up in bed. Stripping the clothing off she had been wearing all day and slipping into her pajamas made her feel better than she could have expected. Pulling the covers back she laid down looking at her iPhone for what seemed like the first time in days. Frowning the connectivity icon at the top showed an x as she put the useless device on the nightstand. The bathroom door swung open as Tim emerged fully clothed with wet hair. Turning onto her side Lucy hoped the meager lighting didn't show the blush on her cheeks.

Tim opened the closet door pulling out a blanket and taking the pillow from the bed he put them on the floor. Turning over Lucy looked at him as she pushed herself up on her elbows.

"Don't be ridiculous…" Resting his hands on his hip he exhaled loudly as he gave her that frustrated Tim look.

"I don't think it would be a good idea…" Lucy's eyebrows knit together as her face flushed with embarassment.

"I…it's just…I'm sorry, ok. I'm sorry for losing it back there…" Tim looked at her in confusion as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "I know you probably regret bringing me here and…"

He cut her off, "Stop.." Lucy shut her mouth as she looked at him waiting for it. "Lucy…" There it was again, he was using her first name. Her mouth was suddenly dry as cotton. "I am sorry for dragging you along on this; I knew you weren't ready. I knew you still had your own shit going on. I knew I was asking too much of you…".

"Tim.." He held up his finger to silence her.

"I knew all of that but I asked you to come anyway because I wanted you here. I didn't want to do this alone and out of anyone else in the world I wanted it to be you here bedside me." His voice was emotional as she felt her heart race. "I knew…I knew you were struggling and I can see it but I didn't care. I just thought of myself and I'm sorry."

"Tim…I wanted to be here. I wanted to be here with you." Their eyes met for a moment before he looked away.

"Tonight I put myself and this bullshit with Isabel ahead of you and you almost paid for it…I can't" His voice was high with barely restrained emotion. "I can't do that again. Isabel's gone…she's been gone for a long time. And after everything that happened I will not…" He paused shaking his head, "I will not let you get hurt again."

Lucy swallowed hard not sure what to say. Exhaling she laid back in the bed. "It's been a really long day. I'm fine…you're fine…and we're going to find who did this to Isabel. It matters…what happened to her…it matters to you and it matters to me." Their eyes met as they stared at each other in silence. "Close calls happen everyday…and almost doesn't count. You told me that on our first day together." Tim relaxed slightly as a strained laugh escaped his lips. "Tim….lay down in the bed and get some rest. Things will look different tomorrow." Shaking his head he tossed the pillow back into bed as he moved the covers back letting his weary body sink into the mattress.

It was dark in their room save for dull yellow lighting of the parking lot. "I really am sorry for today…it won't happen again." His voice as soft, sad even.

"I won't hold it against you." They both laughed as Tim felt a familiar comforting warmth in his chest. Always giving it right back to him.

Closing her eyes, Lucy exhaled as she tuned into the outside surroundings. The old heater under the window rattled to life as a lone car passed the motel on the highway, the sound of its engines peaking and fading. The sheets smelled faintly of bleach which was reassuring in a strange sort of way. She didn't know how long she laid there trying to fall asleep but eventually she became aware of a tension in the room. A tortured soul tossing and turning mentally. Flipping over she could barely make out his silhouette in the meager lighting. Lucy licked her lips not sure if what she was about to do was right or not. Decided to do it anyway she threw all her traditional analytic techniques to the wind.

Snaking her hand through the covers she reached for his left hand and after finding it intertwined her fingers with his. He didn't move at first but after a moment she could feel the breath he had been holding ease from his lungs. The mattress shifted as he let himself relax. A strangled sigh escaped his lips as he brought their joined hands to his mouth kissing the back of her hand.

Lucy would be lying if that simple gesture didn't make her body tingle head to toe like it was junior high all over again. Tim brought their hands to his chest as he exhaled loudly. "I don't know what you're going through but I want you to know I'm here for it…whatever you need…whatever I got…it's yours. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

Tears came to her eyes as Lucy blinked. Squeezing his hand, her voice came out just above a whisper, "Me either."

**NO ROOKIE NO PROBLEM ! WTF is wrong with them having a gap week during Quarantine**

**Disclaimer: As stated above, some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie Wind River which I highly reccommend. The scene I wrote above at the trailer is very similar to the movie because I liked how the pepper spray would trigger a flash back for Lucy at the worst time.*** I have not used any of the same characters as in the movie, just similar circumstances.**


	6. Chapter 6

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie “Wind River”.Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women. 

**Chapter Six**

Dawn came to Lander quietly with a streaked gray sky and a fine, cold mist.Stepping out of the motel Tim carefully closed the door behind him.The parking lot was empty save for their rental and another truck at the end of the lot.He had no where to be, not yet anyway.Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans Tim starting walking across the lot toward town.An old truck rumbled by as he briefly made eye contact with the driver before looking back down.As the engines faded away, the air around him grew silent leaving Tim with only his thoughts for company. 

There were a million things he should be thinking about, finding Ferguson chief among them, but strangely enough his mind could think of nothing but her.He didn’t know when it happened or why it happened all he knew was that it HAD happened.Somewhere along the way he had become closer than he should have with his rookie.He had started to feel something for her beyond partners or even friends.Swallowing hard Tim looked around as if he had just said that out loud.Neither of them had done anything purposeful to make it happen…it just did.That fact alone was enough to scare the shit out of him.Someone had managed to get over every wall he had ever built…and he didn’t even know she was doing it.Not even Isabel ever really saw him; she only saw the parts of him he wanted her to see. 

Lucy was the first person who made him feel really safe.The American flag above the Lander Police Department snapped in the cold mountain air as he walked by the familiar cement structure.A small smile came to his face as he shook his head.He’d definitely rescued her from danger more than the opposite, but safety was more than just a physical condition.It was a place where one could go and strip off all the layers, break down all the fences…and just be.That was what he had found with Lucy; a place to just be himself. A place to be seen and known and accepted as he was.Tim had never had anything like that before.Never had someone who really and truly saw him for what he was and still wanted to be there.And Lucy didn’t just want be there…she needed him in a deep emotional way he didn’t know existed.And if he was being honest he knew he needed her just as much. 

God…he never needed anyone a day in his life; not even Isabel.Did he love her? He thought he did.Did she love him? _‘She never loved you anyway’_ Mickey’s words echoed in his head as he tried to answer that question.Isabel loved herself, she loved the job, and she loved dope.She loved the idea of him more than she loved him.When they met at the academy she was unlike anyone he had ever met before. While Isabel’s addiction ended them, Tim’s addiction was their beginning. Fearless and full of life, he was hooked on her almost immediately.Their relationship moved fast and within a year he found himself kneeling in front of her.Did he really know her yet? Had he seen every side of her? He didn’t care, he knew he wasn’t going to find anyone else like her.At first it was great but Isabel quickly tired of working patrol and began pushing for more.They argued about it and it cause a crack to form that only widened with time.Before he knew it, they were standing on opposite sides of a deep chasm unsure of how to find their way back to each other.By the time their paths crossed with Antonio Rodriguez things were already coming unraveled.

_“Hey…I didn’t catch your name…” Isabel followed the suave looking asshole across the street away from their squad. He turned smirking at her in the way every high riding plain clothes detective does._

_“Rodriguez…Detective Antonio Rodriguez.” She stood in front of him, hands on her hips, assessing him in the same way he was her.Behind them Tim had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.He knew this was a bad idea; these assholes were always looking for uniforms to do all the shit they didn’t want to.When they asked for volunteers to babysit an undercover bust he couldn’t stop her before she jumped on it.No doubt they would fight about it later.Leaning against the car he sighed loudly._

_Looking over her shoulder, Isabel momentarily scowled at him before turning back to Rodriguez.“You guys work for Narcotics?” Rodriguez studied her for a moment before laughing leaning against his unmarked Crown Vic._

_“Today’s Op was run by Narcotics but I work for a new unit called CRASH..” Tim opened the squad door sitting in the driver’s seat.The bravado of this chump was enough to make him nauseous.Gaze flicking momentarily toward his wife, his skin began to crawl. He prayed for a call…any call…he’d even babysit a DOA right now.Anything to get out of here._

_“What’s CRASH ?” Isabel had adjusted her stance to seem less stand-offish when she realized Rodriguez had something she wanted._

_“Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums…little of bit of everything.Guns, gangs, narcotics….lots of undercover work.”Isabel immediately perked up at the sound of that.Rodriguez crossed his arms over his chest as he gave her another once over. “You interested ?”_

_Tim’s fist clenched tightly as he heard her high pitched, excited reply. “Hell yeah I’m interested..” He wanted her to be happy…he really did.And he wasn’t jealous by her desire to move up, but undercover was something else entirely.It was dangerous….and he wouldn’t be able to protect her if something went wrong.But more than that; he had seen more than a few people go under and lose themselves completely._

_The radio on the dash crackled to life as Tim let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding.“7-Adam 16 respond Code Three to a Domestic at 12498 San Vicente..” Grabbing the radio Tim quickly committed them to the job as he slammed the door shut._

_“Isabel ! Let’s go !” Drumming her fingers on the butt of her gun Isabel whirled around clearly irritated._

_“You hate Domestics !! Let Lopez and Gray take it !!” Tim felt anger boil in his veins as he put the car in drive peeling out of the space and pulling up behind his wife.Turning back around she looked at him like he was crazy._

_“It’s in our sector not theirs….Get the FUCK in the car.”Isabel rubbed her teeth with the tip of her tongue.There sure would be a fight about this later.Turning back toward Rodriguez she smiled._

_“Let me know if anything opens up…” Turning on her heel, she walked around the front of the car as Rodriguez nodded. Taking a few steps toward Tim’s open window he replied back to her before bending down slightly._

_“I will.” Pushing his sunglasses up on his nose he flashed Tim his best high riding prick grin.“Your partner needs to lighten up…”_

_Actively resisting the urge to punch him in the face; Tim turned his head as Isabel crawled into the passenger seat.“I’m her husband….” He momentarily relished in the look of shock on Rodriquez’s face, “And you can fuck off.”Hitting the gas Tim didn’t give him a chance to reply._

_The car careened around the corner as he saw red.“What the fuck is your problem?” Her shrill voice made him even angrier as he slammed his foot on the gas._

_“You…my problem is you.”_

Tim blinked as soft mist collected on his eyelashes. He has reached the end of Lander as the sidewalk stopped and dirt began.Turning back around he crossed the street heading back toward the motel.Tim wiped his face with the sleeve of his coat as he swallowed hard.Isabel was his partner….his wife…but more than that she was his goddamn responsibility.He made the promise to himself once when they graduated the academy and again on the day he married her; he would always protect her, watch her back, keep her safe.She was his responsibility and he would not let her down.But he did…he failed her in every way possible.Isabel had been his responsibility and in the end he had just let her slip away. 

Tim felt the back of his throat tighten.That wasn’t the first time, though, that he failed someone who meant something to him.

_“Sarge….Sarge…” Tim looked up from the map he was studying in the near dark as his squad leader approached.The dry, desert air blew through the back of the humvee as he licked his lips for the millionth time._

_“Yeah?”Mitch Nelson was one of his best soldiers; the men liked him but more than that they respected him._

_“Scouts picked up movement on the north end of the perimeter…could be insurgents.”Darkness had just fallen over the northern edge of Kandahar as Tim nodded.These shit heads were always making their moves at night.It was dangerous to go out there searching; but it was more dangerous to let them get a jump on you.Fuck…everything was dangerous here, even walking outside to take a piss, but that was war._

_Tim nodded reluctantly.“Ok…take Mikey and the rest of first squad. You run into anything hold your position and radio back.We’ll be right behind you.”Mitch nodded in agreement adjusting the straps on his body armor._

_“We’ll take the old road until it splits then fall back into the brush, move around that way and see what we see…” Tim considered it for a moment before he shook his head._

_“No. Go around behind the burnt out buildings and move east until you hit the irrigation ditch, move toward the perimeter that way.More cover…” Nelson considered it before hesitating._

_“Ah..Sarge..we haven’t swept that area for IEDs yet…” Tim paused.Since taking up their position north of Kandahar, they had encountered near daily sniper fire but very few IEDs.It was a guess and a risk but wasn’t everything ? Exhaling loudly, he hated to go against the intuition of someone as battle hardy as Mitch._

_“Sniper fire has been more of an issue…Can’t have you guys out in the open..”Nelson knew it was more of an order than a suggestion. Swallowing hard he looked at the ground before nodding._

_“Alright Sarge…” Turning to leave, Tim second guessed his order.Something about Nelson’s demeanor made his stomach churn.Shaking it off he turned back toward the maps in front of him. They operated on facts not intuition._

_Resting his head back he closed his eyes for a moment. The rest of the men milled about as he intermittently heard snippets of a conversation here and there.The hot, dry air blew through the vehicle as he licked his lips again feeling a familiar burn.Inhaling he stopped short his breath catching in his throat. The ground rumbled as he heard the unmistakable thump of a detonating IED._

_Jumping out of the Humvee he grabbed his AR slinging it over his shoulder.“What’s going on Sarge?”_

_“Sounds like an IED…”_

_“Anyone heard from Nelson’s Squad?”_

_The men broke out in a cacophony of nervous chatter. Tim swallowed hard before giving a sharp order.“Everyone get your kits and get ready to move out.”_

_A scuffling sound came toward them as Tim and the others raised their weapons.In the meager lighting first squad came into view carrying someone. The two blood soaked men collapsed to the ground their chests heaving with exertion. Walking toward them Tim shone a light at the man laying between them._

_He blinked once not quite believing what he saw.Nelson stared back, his face contorted with pain and fear.He was a sick shade of gray as Tim’s eyes wandered down to his right leg….what used to be his right leg.The men had put tourniquets on immediately and for that Mitch owed them his life.But still….there would be no salvaging this and they both knew it.Falling to his knees Tim bit down hard on his lip to keep himself in check._

_“You’re looking good, Mitch. Looking real good.The boys did a hell of a job. We’re going to get you out of here…you just hang on.”_

_  
Nelson looked at him, the emotion clear on his face.“I’m sorry Timmy…I really screwed up this time.”Inhaling sharply Tim placed a comforting hand on his brother’s forehead._

_“No, Mitch.I’m the one who screwed up.”_

Nelson lost his leg, his squad, and his career in the military that day.Later he would also lose his fiancé, his house, and his dignity.And Tim knew there was no one to blame but himself.Whether Nelson zigged or zagged that night, the responsibility for what happened rested squarely on Tim.He was the sergeant, it was his squad…they were his men. 

By the time Lucy came around Tim had become fully accustom to the notion that he was a complete failure.Sure, he put on like he was the man but the scars of his past; those people he let down, they haunted him.And he knew sooner or later he would let Lucy down too.Thats why he tried so hard to keep her at an arm’s length.Keep it within the lines of their shifts and nothing more, but god dammit he just couldn’t do it.Couldn’t even make it eight hours without her getting inside of him.They were doing fine; him the abrasive TO, her the doe eyed rookie, they both had their parts to play and he was going to keep it that way.But then fucking Isabel came charging out of that liquor store and everything went to shit in the blink of an eye.He could have stopped it, though, told her to mind her own business but he didn’t.And before he knew it she was so deep inside of him that he could never imagine his life without her in it. And just like that he was responsible for another life. 

Why did he tell her to go out with that prick Caleb? Tim knew, better than anyone, that pretty boys like him were always up to no good.Despite that and Lucy’s own misgivings, he encouraged her to do it.Tim’s shoes drug across the motel parking lot once again as he shook his head ruefully.Typical for him, get someone to trust you, and then totally fuck it all up.Instead of just getting hurt, though, Lucy almost paid with her life.He would never forgive himself for what happened to her.Never.

The drizzle had stopped as the sun began to peek through the high rolling clouds. Looking up his eyes fell on his partner who was leaning against their rental with two cups of coffee in hand.Smiling at him she silently took in his downturned eyes and wet hair.Fractionally her expression changed as Tim internally sighed. The last thing he needed was her feeling bad for him; if anything it should be the other way around. 

“I hope you’re not going to drink all of that…” He gestured toward the coffee with his usual sarcastic smirk.“Because all I saw along the roadside were bushes.”Lucy shook her head as she handed him the other cup.

“Extra cream…no sugar.Like you like it.”The sarcasm melted from his face as the corners of his lip twitched up in a genuine smile. 

Taking a sip he studied her for a moment.“You ready for today?”

Lucy looked down before nodding meeting his eyes seriously.“I’m ready.” 

She wouldn’t tell him even if she wasn’t.Licking his lips he nodded toward the car.“Alright then…let’s go.” 

* * *

The ride to the Wind River Department was mostly quiet.When Lucy woke and found Tim missing with a note taped to the mirror she figured he needed time to sort things out.She knew that his feelings for Isabel were complicated, and while their relationship has been over for some time she also knew that he still cared what happened to her.Seeing her laying in that pile of trash murdered and clearly raped had to have been difficult for him although he barely showed it.Tim was good at hiding his feelings, she learned that early on, but that didn’t mean he felt any less.

The Chief greeted them with a plain expression and a folder of paperwork.If he was at all bothered by killing a man yesterday he didn’t show it.Lucy reasoned that it most likely wasn’t his first on duty shooting…or off duty for that matter.Both her and Tim gave brief statements as the Chief reassured them that no one would know or care what happened to John and Martin Wolf.Chief Bennett armed them both with a shotgun before nodding toward the parking lot. 

They were driving farther into the reservation than they had before as Lucy kept her eyes open and her gun close. According to the Chief, the Department of Energy leased land on the reservation for drilling and fracking.That property was patrolled by security employed by the fracking company but ultimately policed by the FBI.Neither Wind River nor the Wyoming State Police had jurisdiction making it a no man’s land of sorts.Swallowing hard, Lucy cast a momentary glance at Tim.The longer they were here the more obvious it became to her that Ferguson wouldn’t be coming back to Los Angeles alive.While she would hold out hope that they could make this right and not completely violate their integrity she also understood that this was a place where survival trumped morality.And they would survive; she didn’t care what needed to be done, they were both going home.

The Chief veered onto the shoulder of the road as he slowed his cruiser to a stop.Pulling up next to him, Lucy lowered her window.Gesturing up ahead a hundred feet he pointed to the road that forked left into the trees.“The first trailer is about ten miles up that road…the second is fifteen miles past that.” He fell silent for a moment as he stared at the trees.Looking back at them he regarded them both seriously, “Be careful up there…”

Lucy offered him a slight smile as she quickly nodded, “We will.”The Chief was silent for a moment as he nodded his head toward their path. 

“You get turned around just follow the river back.”Tim nodded affirming his understanding both of the directions and the Chief’s warning. 

  
“We’ll see you later, Chief.”Bennet regarded them both silently for a moment before rolling the window back up. 

Lucy stared down at the gun between her legs as she let a tense breath escape her lips.Looking in the side mirror, she watched as the Chief faded from view.“You think he’ll be here?”Tim was silent for a moment.

“He has no where else to be…”Lucy stole a glance at him as the SUV bounced on the uneven road.If they didn’t find Ferguson at this trailer or the other or anywhere on this reservation Tim was going to lose it.All of this would have been for nothing. 

“And then what…”It was a question that they had been on both their minds.Saying it out loud, though, made it something else.Up until now most of Lucy’s policing career had been completely above board.In fact the one time she went for a low blow, the man filed an IAB complaint that nearly cost her everything.She also knew that she had only had the luxury of never having to toe the line became Bradford made sure to protect her from any potential bad calls.If there was something controversial that needed done he stood in front of it for her. This time, though, things were different.They were in this together as partners; she knew what she was agreeing to when she got on the plane. 

“I don’t know….we have to see what happens.”Tim sounded hesitant and that fact alone made her heart race.It was quiet for a moment and when he spoke again his voice was low and deadly.“Whatever heavy lifting needs done….you let me do that.”Lucy stared at him for a moment before nodding.She knew what he was talking about; if someone needed to be dealt with he would do it.He would kill so that she didn’t have to carry that with her.The strongest bond she had ever known was the bond between partners. 

The river ran parallel to the road as the trees began to thin.Up ahead she saw a white trailer come into view.Tim slowed the car to a stop as he put it in park reading the red, white, and black sign in front of him. _Property Owned by Department of the Energy…Trespassers will be Prosecuted Under Federal Law._

Lucy ran a nervous hand through her hair as her eyes wandered toward the property. There were no signs of life around the trailer.Turning Tim pulled the shot guns out of the back seat.“We’ll walk from here.”Hesitating for a moment Lucy nodded; of course they would walk from here.Sliding out of the passenger seat she holstered her Glock as she hoisted the shot gun level.Tim joined her holding his own gun in the crook of his arm.Opening the barrel he checked to make sure it was loaded before snapping it shut. “Alright…follow me.” 

They moved silently through the forest, Lucy’s gaze darting side to side, half expecting to be ambushed at any moment.The ground felt soft and slick under her hiking boots as she was sure to watch every step.The wind rustled in the tree tops as a haunted howling sound echoed behind them.In front of her Tim stopped as he looked around.

“Wolves..”He whispered as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.Overhead the sky darkened as a storm front began to edge over the mountains.“Let’s hurry up and get this done.”Holding the shot gun level Lucy followed his path as they inched closer to the trailer.There was no car or ATV parked nearby as all signed pointed to the trailer being unoccupied.The windows were shut, blinds in place…no movement.Sweeping the back side of the structure they both came around to the front on opposite sides.Nodding to her they moved at the same time toward the door and up the stairs.Lucy’s heart pounded in her chest. It was just like back home; they’d done this a hundred times before. 

Standing off center on either side Tim raised his fist and pounded loudly.Leaning toward the door they listened for any signs of movement but all they heard was the howling wind.Looking down at the knob Tim hedged his bets that it would be unlocked.Turning it he pushed the door inward as it swung wide open.There wasn’t a sound as they cautiously stepped inside.It took them all of thirty seconds to completely clear the trailer.It was empty.

Leaning against the counter Tim let a sigh escape his lips as Lucy took up her position at the door.“Shit…”

“Check the refrigerator…see if anything’s in there.”He nodded as he grabbed the handle.There was food and it was relatively fresh. Someone had definitely just been here. Slamming the door shut, Tim turned as they both walked out closing the door behind them.Standing on the porch he looked around.“There here…somewhere.” 

“Do you want to go on to the second trailer ?” He contemplated it silently as he looked at the sky.A storm front was rolling in, it wouldn’t be smart to push it right now.Last time he pushed it, Lucy almost took a bullet. 

“No…We’ll go tomorrow.They’ll still be there.”Nodding she followed him back into the trees.The wind had picked up considerably as they quickly made it back to the rental.Backing down the access road, Tim turned around and began heading back the way they came.

“I’m sorry they weren’t there.”Licking his lips he nodded.

“Its ok. They won’t go far.”Sliding her shot gun into the backseat Lucy smoothed her hair as she stared out the passenger window.The pine trees began to thin as the river came into view.Against the rolling landscape of brown and blue something caught her eye. It was white.Looking again she realized it was a person as she reached across the dash grabbing onto Tim’s arm.

“Stop the car !” Jerking forward in the seat she wasted no time throwing the door open. 

“Chen? What the hell?”

“There’s a person sitting along the river…” Tim paused for a moment before putting the SUV in park.Cutting the engine he grabbed one of the shot guns out of the back seat as he walked around the front squinting his eyes. 

“Where ?” Lucy began walking as she threw over her shoulder.

“Right there…” Not waiting she unholstered her service piece as she walked purposefully across the brown prairie grass. Above her, a shelf cloud rolled over the snow capped peaks turning the sky dark.A roll of thunder echoed in the valley as she felt a vibration deep in her chest.As she got closer she realized it was a woman in a white dress sitting on the river bank. Her long black hair blew in the wind as Lucy heard faint sobbing.

Slowing down she brought her gun level with the woman’s head; she had no idea what was going on here.As she moved closer she could see the woman’s white dress was stained with blood as she cried, speaking in a language Lucy didn’t recognize.In her right hand was a knife, her left hand held prone to the darkened sky she placed the knife against the caramel flesh of her forearm and sliced not even wincing. 

Behind Lucy, Tim held the shotgun level as a look of understanding dawned on his face. Inching closer Lucy tried to appear non threatening as she was unsure the woman would understand her. 

“Hey…we can help you.”The women turned looking at Lucy with wide eyes, just then realizing that someone was standing next to her. Dropping the knife she looked between the two of them terror in her eyes.Swallowing hard Lucy put her gun back in the holster as she held out her hand. “Let me help you.” Scrambling to her feet she tried to run but tripped on her dress struggling to her feet once again.“Hey ! Stop!”

Running after her, Lucy came to an abrupt halt as the woman stopped without warning Backing up, Lucy looked over her shoulder to see a black wolf standing there with its teeth bared. 

“Whoah…easy there.”The woman stumbled back into her arms as she mumbled something Lucy couldn’t understand. Holding on to her they backed up slowly. The smell of fresh blood causing the wolf to pace back and forth, its yellow eyes narrowed.Bringing the shotgun up, Tim brought the animal into his sights.Chen was still in the shotgun radius….just a few more feet.Lucy knew that Tim was behind her with the shotgun, knew that she had to move back just a little more.“Easy…” The woman leaned against her as she stumbled without shoes on.

The hair on the wolf’s back stood on end as it began to charge toward them.Before Lucy could react and pull her own gun she heard the shot gun go off and a high pitched yelp.The woman in her arms screamed and went limp as she lowered her to the ground. Coming to stand beside them, Tim looked at the animal motionless on the ground as he reloaded the gun. 

“You OK?” Lucy nodded as she took a deep breath. 

“Yeah…but we need to get her to a doctor.”He stared at the woman on the ground getting his first good look at her.She looked younger than he thought; maybe twenty one at the most, caramel colored skin and long black hair. She most likely lived on the reservation; Bennett would probably know who she was.Handing Lucy the shot gun he bent over picking her up. The sky flashed overhead as he nodded toward the car.

“We have to hurry. Wolves are never alone…where there’s one there’s a whole pack.”Quickly they moved toward the car, Tim sliding the unconscious girl in the backseat. Running around the front he opened the door as Lucy turned once more to look back toward the river; a lone howl echoing in the distance. 

The hospital was a small building on the edge of town that, as Bennet put it, had an OK emergency room, terrible food, and coffee that could raise the dead.The waiting room was empty save for Tim and Lucy.The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as Lucy pushed up from her seat.Near the door was a bulletin board as she wandered over curiously.While she may have been expecting Help Wanted Ads, what she got was something totally different.Missing posters plastered the cork board; all Native Americans, most of them women, the rest kids or elderly.Swallowing hard she looked at their smiling faces and sighed. 

“Alright…” The doors swung open as Bennett appeared with his usual, nonchalant demeanor. 

“Do you know her?” Tim and Lucy came to stand in front of him.

Bennett looked down before shaking his head. “Yes..I’m afraid I do.Her name is Emily; she’s nineteen years old.Her sister was the young girl who was recently murdered.” 

A look of understanding dawned on Lucy’s face as she remember the photos, “From the photos at your station?”

Bennet nodded.“This isn’t the first time she’s done something like this either…” There was nothing else to say as they stood in silence.“So…I heard you killed a wolf out there too?”

Tim nodded a smirk coming to his face. “You were definitely right about needing a shotgun.” 

Bennett laughed lightly.“Fish and Game guy will go pick the furry bastard up tomorrow. I’ll make sure you get a souvenir to take back to LA.”Tim smirked, the Chief truly was one of a kind.

“Sound great, Chief. We’ll see you tomorrow.”Saying their goodbyes Lucy and Tim went to the car as they crawled in and sat there for a moment. 

“This is some kind of place…”Lucy’s voice came out low.

Exhaling loudly Tim turned the key in the engine. “You can say that again.” 

***

When the dreams came they often didn’t make any sense.Sometimes she would relive an entire sequence of events leaving out no detail, other times she would only experience snippets.While they didn’t sound like much, these dreams were often times the most terrifying with moments of the attack seamlessly blended into features of her normal life.Nothing was off limits and nothing made sense. Jerking in her sleep Lucy fisted the comforter as she was plunged into a vivid nightmare. 

_The buzzing of the tattoo gun…her vision was hazy.Forcing herself to focus she didn’t see Caleb standing over her, instead it was Nolan.He stared down at her emotionless.“John?”_

_“You’ll always belong to me…” He bent over as she felt the prick of the fine needle in her side._

_“Why…Why are you doing this?” He looked like he didn’t hear her, the warm orange glow of the rising sun behind him.Struggling to push herself up she couldn’t as she was tied to the chair. Shaking her head she tried to make sense of it all.“But..what about Grace?”_

_When she looked back up it wasn’t Nolan anymore but Caleb licking his lips as if he hadn’t eaten in years.He laughed as she felt a chill run through her, “I’m going to enjoy this Officer Chen.”Pinching her eyes shut she inhaled sharply._

_When she opened her eyes again she saw a swimming pool and it was dark.She was running through someones back yard as an uncharacteristic humidity hung heavy in the air.A person was laying next to the pool, they were wearing a uniform just like her own.They weren’t moving and no one was helping them.Stepping closer she visibly recoiled when she saw it was Capt. Anderson with a bullet hole in her head.Turning around she opened her mouth to yell but she was met with Tim’s wide eyes and pained expression. Except he wasn’t looking at her, he was looking right through her. Angela came up next to him taking him by the forearm leading him away.Why wasn’t anyone helping her? Frustrated she screamed at the top of her lungs but no one turned around.Turning back around she looked where Capt. Anderson had been but she wasn’t there anymore.Taking a shaky step toward the edge of the pool, Lucy gasped as she realized it was her laying there.Staring at her own face she watched a bloom of blood encircled her head as everything she saw turned red._

_Lucy twitched and she wasn’t in that backyard anymore, instead she was back in the barrel.The oxygen was running out, she could tell.She did her best to stay calm but still she was already running out of air.Each breath felt like her lungs were compressing further inside her chest as she felt dizzy.Why wasn’t anyone coming? Shaking herself she chided herself; who would come? And how would they know where to go? Resting her head on her knees she felt her self slipping into darkness._

_She thought that was it…really thought that was it.But when she woke up and the bright sun was in her eyes she realized that they had found her.She saw a LAPD uniform kneeling next to her and felt Tim’s strong arm wrap around her.It was over.She could smell him, so familiar just like the patrol car on hot days.Pulling back she wanted to see his face, ask him how he found her. But when she pulled back it wasn’t Tim anymore; it was Caleb.He stared down at her blankly as she tried to figure it out. The uniform was the same…eyes wandering down she stopped at the name plate.Wright with a ‘W’…his lips spread into a wide smile as he laughed._

_“Surprise !”_

Lucy jerked awake as she gasped for air.Blinking a few times she looked around the darkened room struggling to figure out where she was.Her chest heaved as she swallowed. The motel…Wyoming…right.She knew that, logically she knew that, but emotionally she couldn’t make it stop.Swinging her legs over the bed, she felt her stomach turn as a wave of nausea crashed on top of her.Lucy covered her mouth with her hand as she hurried into the bathroom closing the door behind her. 

Tim awoke with a start as the bathroom door slammed shut.Rubbing his eyes he sat up looking around.Behind the bathroom door he heard her heaving over the toilet.For a moment he sat there; this was that moment.That ‘whatever you need…whatever I got’ moment. He knew she would never ask for help, she was like him in more ways than one there.But what he had was more than just sitting in listening to his partner struggle six feet away.Pushing himself up Tim walked toward the bathroom door. The door was slightly ajar as he tentatively pushed it open. 

Lucy heard the door open as she involuntary heaved into the toilet.Spitting she attempted to wipe her mouth before he saw her looking like a complete disgusting mess.Tim paused for a moment before going over to the sink and wetting a wash cloth. Letting out a groan she flushed the toilet still not meeting his eyes. Lucy held her hand out for the wash cloth but h didn’t give it to her.Back to the white tiled wall he slid down so that he was sitting next to her. God this was so embarrassing…if she could only get some air. 

“Come here…” She was in no position to argue and frankly she didn’t want to.Rocking back on her heels she came to rest next to him against the cool tile that probably hadn’t been cleaned in years.Adjusting himself slightly, Tim wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her against him.Pressing the cold cloth to her sweaty forehead, he used his free hand to take her own hand into his.Slowly he brought their joined hands to his chest holding it tightly there.“Easy now, ok? In…out. Don’t think about it, just feel your hand go up and down.” 

If Lucy didn’t feel like she was about to die right now she would have been incredibly touched by his gesture.She knew that Tim was an emotional person from the first day she met him; one look at his face when he saw Isabel could have told a blind person as much.She shouldn’t be surprised by this, though, he had been nothing but supportive since he dug her out of the ground that day.Closing her eyes, Lucy thought of nothing but the rise and fall of her partner’s chest.

Slowly the anxiety began to drain out of her as she felt cool air touch the inside of her lungs.While she should have been relieved she only felt sad…sad that no matter where she went Caleb would always follow her…sad that she was sitting here like a child whimpering on the bathroom floor….but most of all sad that someone who meant so much to her was, undoubtedly so disappointed in her right now.Tears came to her eyes as she began to cry.

Tim pulled back for a moment to look at her face.Shaking his head he let out a nervous laugh, “Well that didn’t work at all…” Putting the wash cloth down he rested his hand on her shoulder holding her against his chest. 

“I’m sorry…I really am.This my fault and you have enough to worry about right now. I know..” She was babbling.

“Stop…” His voice was uncharacteristically soft.“It isn’t your fault. What happened to you wasn’t your…”

Her voice stopped him short. “It is my fault…it’s all my fault. I’m a cop I should have known better.” He was silent for a moment as she swiped at her face sniffling.

When he spoke again she could her the guilt behind his words.“No…if it’s anyone’s fault. It’s mine.”Lucy opened her mouth ready to argue with him but he cut her off. “No, boot….” She half smirked through red rimmed eyes at the mention of her favorite nickname. “Just listen to me.”

Lucy took a shaky breath in, “I always listen to you.” 

Tim felt a wave of emotion come over him as he bit down on his lip.Subconsciously he began to run his hand up and down her shoulder as he nodded, “ I know you do.”They were silent for a moment before he began speaking again. “I was stationed in Afghanistan outside Kandahar, it was my second tour and I was a squad leader.It as different being in charge of the men.Anyway, one of my squad leaders came to me one night and said they needed to go on a patrol; there was movement along the perimeter of our camp. They thought it was insurgents so I told them to check it out. Mitch wanted to go one way but I told him to go another way…and he lost his leg to an IED.”He paused for a moment. “That’s what it was like over there; everyday, every decision was life or death.I started not being able to sleep; no one really did, but this was different.I couldn’t close my eyes without seeing it all again.”Licking his lips he felt her relax against him.What he was about to tell her no one knew.“I had my first panic attack while I was over there; we were on another fucking patrol, there were endless patrols, and all of a sudden I felt like I couldn’t breath, my chest was tight, I felt dizzy…I thought I was having a heart attack.Scared the shit out of my men but then it passed and I laughed it off. Said it was heat…exhaustion…you name it.But then it happened again and again. Eventually I learned how to control it, but it never went away.”

Lucy had a million questions, as usual, but right now it was just easier to listen.Leaning her head against his chest she listened to the vibration of his voice as he spoke.“When I got home things got better.I joined the academy, met Isabel…life was good.But then everything went to shit again.First we were fighting all the time, then she took off for undercover, and the worst was when she came back addicted to dope.After the first undercover assignment she got bounced back to patrol for a while.I…I covered for her for so long. She was high, walking around with a gun strapped to her side. It was fucking crazy…but she was my wife.They started again right after that.I was walking out of the locker room and bam it hit me right there in the station.”He took a deep breath.“I…I thought that I was having them because I was in this hostile environment or because I was afraid or because I wasn’t getting sleep or whatever but I was wrong.They came when I felt like I had no control in my life, like I was along for the ride helpless to stop any of it.” 

Lucy was silent as she reached for his other hand and laced her fingers through. “And then after I realized I couldn’t help Isabel they stopped and I lived in a numb sort of acceptance.I thought I was fine and then you….you were taken.”Lucy felt her stomach flip as she realized she was more than just an observer to this story.“We were up there on that shit piece of land looking for you…for your burial site….for anything.Jackson was up my ass so I told him to split up and cover more ground but really I just needed to be alone.I could barely breath thinking of you trapped in a barrel under ground.More than that, I felt so so responsible for what happened to you.When you asked me about Caleb, I knew you weren’t sure but I told you to do it anyway.”Tim paused; why had he done that ? Did he need to push her away, was she getting too close for comfort. Did she make him feel a way he never thought he’d feel ? He didn’t know, all he knew was that he was wrong.“You asked in the hospital how I found you…well, I was dizzy, I felt sick, and worse than all that it was stopping me from finding you….so I knelt down for a moment and I saw your ring in the sun.No brilliant detective work…just dumb luck.” 

Lucy inhaled, she had no idea how deeply he had been affected by what happened to her.“How do you get past it…”.

Squeezing her shoulder he shook his head, “I don’t know…just keep going I guess.”

Exhaling loudly she closed her eyes as she quietly repeated his words, “Just keep going.” 

**TBC !! Thank you for all the reviews**


	7. Chapter 7

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie “Wind River”.Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women. 

**Chapter Seven**

Taking a deep breath Lucy pushed the menu to the side of the table letting the waitress know that she was ready to order.Resting her chin on folded hands, her eyes momentarily wandered out the window and across road back toward the motel.She was grateful that Tim declined the invitation to breakfast electing to shower instead.Lucy needed time to herself; time to figure out what the hell happened last night and why it felt so right.Her stomach flipped at that notion as a waitressed appeared with a warm smile. 

“Know what you want ?” Lucy nodded as she made eye contact with the older woman. 

“Yeah..uh..”She had her order all ready, oatmeal side of fruit, egg white; but then emotion suddenly welled up inside of her as she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.“Chocolate Chip Pancakes, two eggs over easy, side of bacon, side of sausage, and extra chocolate chips if you don’t mind….”

The woman paused for a moment as she wrote it all down, smiling at her warmly she nodded “I don’t mind at all sweetheart.”Smiling sheepishly Lucy ducked her head as the waitress walked away.Well that was ridiculous.But it was so god damn exhausting to keep everything she felt locked up and toeing the line.Sometimes she just wanted to let go of it all.Scream…run….drive with her eyes closed…eat like a twelve year old…you name it.Her whole life she had been taught to keep it together; emotions are to be picked, perused, and filed but never felt.And now…more than anything she just wanted to let out everything she felt and set it free.

When she was with Tim she felt that.Not that he endorsed crazy shows of emotion but, all the same, she knew if that’s what she wanted, he would be there for it.He was her safe place, her shelter, her space to just be.Whatever she felt in the moment he would accept without judgment. But more than that; it was ok to feel anything at all with him.

The waitress reappeared with her food setting it down in front of her.“Extra chocolate chips and whipped cream…”Lucy looked up and smiled as the older woman winked back at her.“I thought you could use it.” As she nodded her thanks, the waitress hurried off to pick up another order.Lucy sighed as she cut a chunk of pancakes with her fork.Did she look that pathetic right now? So emotionally distraught that even a stranger could tell something was wrong.Swallowing hard, her eyes wandered back toward the motel. 

What happened last night? What in the actual fuck happened? If she asked those questions out loud, someone would assumed that she had slept with Tim.Slept with her TO; now there was a situation for sure.But it wasn’t that….no it was something else.Strangely enough what happened last night seemed more emotional, more intimate than even sex.Even if they had slept together, she didn’t think they would have been that bare in front of each other.It was terrifying in a way.But it also begged the question of what was actually going on.They were partners…friends…but what else were they becoming? No matter how much she tried to picture it she had a hard time imagining him doing the same with Angela.A hug maybe…more likely a slap on the back and an ‘I’m here for you’.So if they weren’t that…then what were they ?

Lucy licked the chocolate off her fork as she realized she had known that answer for a long time. Sometime and somewhere along the way they had become more than that.Did it start the moment Isabel came crashing out of that liquor store? Or was it later when Tim confessed to her, through a locked door, that he would take his own life if it came down to a painful death? Maybe it was the day he dug her out of the ground not breathing and dead? Or the night she called him sobbing hysterically convinced that she couldn’t make it until morning ? Maybe it was all those moments and maybe it wasn’t any of them.Maybe it was the small things, the daily routine….the tacos and beers, paintball and books on tape.Lucy had been falling in love with Tim Bradford for a long time and after last night she was beginning to wonder if he wasn’t doing the same. 

Finishing up her breakfast she left a twenty on table before crossing the road back to the motel.The sun was out today as she felt the warmth on her back. In her hand she carried a coffee for Tim as a sudden wave of awkwardness came over her. Stopping in front of the motel door she wondered if things would be different now.Before she could spiral inside of her own pit of self doubt the door swung open as he stood there in front of her. 

Briefly he took in the self doubt, the worry, the shame, and strangely enough the chocolate still smeared on her chin.Tim’s eyes couldn’t leave her lips as he found himselfmoving before thinking.Reaching out slowly he rubbed his thumb over the chocolate wiping it from her face. Lucy sucked in a sharp breath as she felt a chill go down her spine from the sudden, unprompted touch.Tim stood there for a moment marveling at the softness of her skin and the light in her eyes and….and he felt the sudden urge to kiss her.Clearing his throat he snapped out of the trance he was in as he brought his thumb up licking the chocolate off of it.A smirk came to his face as she continued to stare at him somewhat dumbfounded.Taking the coffee from her hand he walked past her desperate for a moment to compose himself after…after whatever that was.Wracking his brain he struggled to come up with something to break the tension.

“Chocolate chip pancakes, boot? Are you twelve ?” Lucy turned on her heel meeting his gaze as a slight smile came to her own face.Shrugging her shoulders she climbed into the car.Pretending that his coffee was the most interesting thing in the world he refused to meet her gaze.Averting her eyes downward she felt her heart flip as she thought maybe she didn’t have to wonder anymore. 

* * *

For once in her life, Lucy kept her mouth shut not needing to process every thought in the open.Tim was grateful as he drove into the Reservation, eyes wandering over passing brown scrub grass.While he was sure Lucy was driving herself crazy over last night, he himself was more concerned with his near break in protocol this morning.Break in protocol…he almost laughed out loud at that.They were far beyond any kind of protocols right now and he knew it. 

What had happened this morning? Covering his face with the back of his hand so she would be unable to see the ghost of a smile playing across his lips he let his mind wander.Oh Lucy….when had his rookie become so much more than his rookie ? He knew he was over the line here in so many ways.He was in a Wyoming chasing a man who murdered his strung out ex wife with his rookie who was still on probation.And if that wasn’t already bad enough he was doing things like falling asleep on the bathroom floor next to her, sharing a bed, and whatever the fuck that was this morning.Would he really have kissed her? Sucking air in sharply he shook his head.He didn’t know the answer to that and it unnerved him more than he was willing to admit.

“I…uh…” She trailed off as his train of through was abruptly broken.Flicking his eyes toward her momentarily his lips turned up in a smirk. He knew she wouldn’t be able to not say anything; just took her longer than he expected.She smacked her lips as she stared out the window suddenly not wanting to say the words on her lips. Shaking his head slightly, Tim interjected.

“Out with it, boot.”While his words were harsh his tone was soft and encouraging.Exhaling Lucy looked at him for a moment.This was Tim, her TO, her friend…her partner.He had seen her almost everyday for the last year and almost no one knew her better than he did. 

“Ok..I’m sorry for last night it won’t happen again. It shouldn’t have happened this time and I uh..” She was rambling and probably looking even crazier than she felt.The car fell silent as Lucy saw the turn off for the access road appear up ahead.Tim’s eyes flicked to her momentarily before making the turn. 

“You have nothing to be ashamed of…and I wanted to be there.”Lucy swallowed hard before looking down at her hands.It was incredibly kind but it still didn’t make her feel any less embarrassed. 

“Yeah but…” His voice was slightly sharper when he cut her off.Not angry or accusing but assertive and final. 

“Do you ever just let things be?”She looked at him confused unsure if he was expecting an actual reply.“Do you ever just let yourself feel what you’re feeling?”Lucy quickly averted her gaze; the answer to that was no mystery.“Do you everaccept what someone else is giving?” He looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.“It’s alright to lose yourself in the moment, to let out everything inside, to just be…and not to question why someone else just wants to be right there with you.” 

She was quiet.There was nothing to be said.Her eyes wandered up ahead to the first trailer as they neared it. Again it appeared to be empty, no car or ATV in sightas Tim steered the rental down the access road and away toward the second site, which Bennett claimed was only fifteen miles away.The trailers were at opposites sides of the property he had explained to them for security reasons.Keeping her eyes keen and attuned to the passing scenery she continued to turn his words over in her mind.She was twenty nine years old and this was the first time anyone had ever told her it was ok to just be, to feel how she felt, to let everything out no matter how messy it was. 

“Thank you.”Her voice was soft and for a moment she wasn’t sure he heard. Nodding slightly Tim acknowledged her words without saying anything else.The shame she felt was unnecessary and unwarranted; they both knew it was true, she had just taken a little more convincing. 

The access road bent around the corner as a second white trailer came into view in the valley below.Pulling the rental off into the underbrush,Tim cut the engine as they both sat there for a moment.Although it was still at least a mile ahead there appeared to be some signs of life.A thin whisp of smoke curled into the sky above as they could see at least one truck and an ATV parked alongside. 

“Ok…we walk from here.”Lucy looked at him briefly before looking back toward the trailer.Seriously she nodded reaching for the shot guns.Flipping the console open Tim produced two print outs that the had brought from LA. One was Ferguson’s mugshot and rap sheet; he had practically memorized it by now.The other one was Chris Porter, his cousin and the man he was hiding out with.Tim didn’t know much about Porter and he didn’t need to.If this guy was related to Ferguson he was no good.The memory of Isabel laying raped and killed in that pile of trash flash through his mind as a chilling parallel formed between his ex-wife and the dead Indian girl in Bennett’s photos.Maybe they weren’t involved, maybe Ferguson really was laying low and the rest of these guys didn’t know thing.Maybe they were just here working…drank too much on occasion and liked to piss off the locals.Tim handed the photos to Lucy as his eyes wandered back into the valley.Or maybe they were all the same as Ferguson and with no laws or real civilization to hold them accountable they did what they wanted to whomever they wanted. 

She sat silent waiting for him to tell her the plan. Licking his lips Tim, nodded a few times to himself.“Ok…we walk from here and we take up positions in the woods at the front and back of the trailer.See what we see.Maybe Ferguson is there…maybe he isn’t.”He pointed toward the photo of Chris Porter.“That’s his cousin, Chris Porter.Another shithead I have no doubt.You see him there’s a good chance Ferguson is around.” Lucy nodded her understanding.“We don’t move unless we see one of them. We’ll wait for dark…” He trailed off. 

Lucy fought the urge to ask, ‘And then what?’She knew what came next…she knew it before she got on the plane in LA.Strangely enough, it didn’t bother her as much as she thought it would.Maybe it was because she finally understood this wasn’t a place of justice, at least not the kind of justice she was used to.Or maybe it was because the closer she got to Tim , the more she wanted to make this right for him no matter what it took.

They climbed out of the rental and shut the doors silently.The forest was quiet as they silently moved through the trees.Lucy’s hands were sweating as she held the shot gun in a low ready position.Her LAPD service piece was strapped snugly to her side as her eyes scanned back and forth.Tim walked sightly in front of her as she returned to his tense silhouette every few seconds for reassurance. The wind rustled the tree tops as and eerie silence enveloped them.It was so quiet out here she found she could hear her heart beating more often than not.As they got closer she followed Tim’s cue to kneel down. Coming down next to her he bent his mouth close to her ear as his forehead momentarily rested against the side of her head.Inhaling sharply he got a full whiff of her shampoo as his eyes drifted shut for just a split second. 

“You stay here, take cover behind that fallen tree. Watch the back door for any movement.”Lucy felt his hot breath on the side of her face as a chill went down her spine.Biting back the urge to shiver she exhaled a shaky breath; when had she become so weak around him ? When had she caved into a quivering mess with just the slightest touch? “I’m going to go around and watch the front.I’ll be able to see you even if you can’t see me…” Nodding she couldn’t speak for a moment the sensation of him being so close nearly intoxicating.A pained expression flicked across Tim’s face as he left her with one more thing. “I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”Forcing his eyes open, he reluctantly rose to his feet as she met his gaze. 

“And I won’t let anything happen to you either, I promise.”He stood there for a moment, the ghost of a smile on his lips.He had taken care of a lot of people in his life or at least he tried to; but she was the first person who ever said they would take of him too.Nodding slightly he turned moving quickly and quietly out of sight. 

Crawling on the forest floor, Lucy wiggled herself into position behind the fallen tree.Bringing the shot gun to rest on the log she checked her Glock for the hundredth time and found it fully loaded and ready. Re holstering the weapon she took a deep breath; they were going to do this.Somehow, someway they were going to do this.

As she stared at the trailer through the underbrush, she made a conscious effort to keep her mind from wandering.There was just so much to think about though. So many things had changed in such as short amount of time, she wasn’t sure where to start. _‘Do you ever just let yourself feel what you’re feeling?’_ No she never just let herself feel anything. Everything was analyzed to the point of insanity. Exhaling she pushed all the thoughts from her mind and just let herself feel this.All the good and the bad of it; the simultaneous intensity and familiarity of all that passed between them and around them.The strange combination of wanting and needing, the comfort of friendship, and the keen emotional transparency of being each other’s partner.The near terror of stalking a murderer in one of the most remote territories known to man, and the strange excitement of having the chance to make such a grievous wrong right again. 

The back door of the trailer swung open as a white man appeared on the broken wooden deck.Behind him she could hear other voices in the trailer, although it was hard to determine how many.Bringing the shot gun up she readied herself for anything.The man was average height, slightly pudgy in the face and with greasy brown hair.Snorting he spit as he unzipped his pants relieving himself over the side of the porch.A slight sneer came to Lucy’s face as she relaxed her finger off the trigger of the gun.Turning he looked toward where she was hiding as she froze.There was no way he could see her but she saw him.And what she saw was Joey Ferguson.Lucy’s heart skipped a beat as she swallowed hard. They had found him.Fighting the urge to jump up and find Tim she continued to watch silently. Ferguson stood on the deck for moment staring out into the trees before turning and returning inside the trailer slamming the back door behind him. 

Exhaling Lucy herd a twig snap behind her. Before she cold move she felt the barrel of a gun pressed against the back of her head and then a low whisper.

“Turn around, slowly.”Biting her lip she weighed her options until she realized she had none.Whoever this was had her and she could only hope wherever Tim was he was coming to her rescue.Again.Slowly she rolled over letting the shot gun rest in the dirt.An Indian man stood over her with a semi automatic rifle leveled at her head.His long black hair blew in the wind and his face was painted back and white.Swallowing hard she stared back at him.This wasn’t the first time a gun was pointed at her head but it was the first time she actually thought the person doing the pointing would shoot her.This guy, whoever he was, made Caleb Wright with a “W” look like a prep school pussy.

The man picked up her shot gun slinging it over his shoulder as he pointed at the Glock on her hip.“Hand it over.”Lucy stared at him for a moment.At the Academy they taught them to never hand over their service piece no matter what; you die protecting that gun if you have to.What they didn’t teach her at the Academy was what to do when a war paint wearing Indian has you cornered up against a trailer full of murdering rapists in the fucking wilderness with more fire power and by the look in his eyes clearly no remorse.No, they must have skipped over that one.Unholstering her service piece she handed it over.This part she learned on the street from her TO.Always trust your partner.Tim would be there, she just had to trust him.

The man stared at her LAPD issue weapon for a moment before looking back at her and then toward the trailer. Stuffing the Glock in the back of his pants he nodded down at her.“Get up.”She didn’t say a word for fear that she would inadvertently betray the fact that she was not alone.Slowly Lucy rose to her feet as the man kept the AR trained on her.“Walk.”Nodding in the direction her and Tim had come he poked the barrel of his gun into her back for emphasis.Carefully she walked with her hands in full view. 

“Hey man I’m sorry. I didn’t know those were your friends.”Lucy felt the barrel of the rifle jam harder into her back as he leaned close to her ear.This time the sensation was not so warm or pleasant. 

“I don’t have any friends….now shut your mouth and walk.”Before she could take another step she heard a click from somewhere behind and a familiar voice. 

“Let her go.”Tim took another step closer pressing the barrel of the gun harder into his head.Taking a second he steadied his shaking hand; his heart was racing from both exertion and fear.The Indian man slowly turned around letting the AR drift inertly to his side.“Drop it or I’ll blow your brains all over the fucking place.”A smirk came to the Indian’s face as he shook his head.Unclipping the AR he placed it on the ground as Lucy took the opportunity to remove her own weapons from him.Placing he Glock back in it’s holster she leveled the shot gun at his head coming to stand next to Tim.Briefly he acknowledged her with a flick of his gaze.“You ok?”

Nodding she was quick to reassure him “I’m OK.”Tim stared at the Indian who stared right back at him. 

“You’re going to shoot me then shoot me.I ain’t ever begged for my life and I’m not about to start.”Tim kept his gun trained on the man for another moment before he relaxed nudging Lucy. The Indian man picked up his rifle from the ground although he kept it relaxed and hanging at his side.Gesturing toward the trailer in the trees he looked at them quizzically.“What the hell are you two doing out here?” 

Holstering his weapon Tim brought the shot gun back to rest in the crook of his arm.“I should ask you the same. Those guys friends of yours?” 

A look of fury crossed the man’s face for a moment as he shook his head.“Are they friends of yours?” Tim stared back at him plainly not giving anything away,“You two FBI or some Department of Energy glorified security guard bullshit?”

Bennet didn’t say anything about any Indians on the property. And even if there were some locals working here he highly doubted that this impressive albeit crazy looking fellow would throw in with asloppy, fat, white meth heads. Taking a chance and keeping in mind that everyone here operated mostly on the principle of survival Tim extended his hand.

“Tim Bradford, LAPD…this is my partner Lucy Chen.”Lucy’s arm ached from holding the heavy shotgun as she let the barrel come to rest on the ground.The man stared at Tim’s hand for a moment as he looked between them, a realization suddenly dawning on him.

“You two found a girl along the river yesterday…”. Lucy looked down remembering the hopeless scene. 

_The dark storm clouds rolled in over the mountains as she got closer to the girl in the white dress.Her shiny black hair blew around her face as she rocked back and forth.The material was saturated in blood as Lucy watched her place the blade of the knife against her skin and slice.She didn’t flinch, didn’t move, just kept sobbing in a language she didn’t understand._

Blinking she looked back up at the man’s face the emotion on hers clear to see.She had never been good at hiding what she felt.He opened his mouth to say something before shutting it and nodding silently.Taking Tim’s hand he shook it meeting his eyes. “Charlie Wallace.” He was silent for a moment before he pointed back toward the trailer.“There are too many men in that trailer….five, six, seven.I don’t know, the number is always changing.I know they will kill both of us and then do what they want with her….”He trailed off meeting Lucy’s gaze briefly before averting to the ground. She didn’t miss the pain behind his eyes, however, as she struggled to make a connection. 

“What can you tell us?”Slinging the AR around to his back he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“I can tell you everything….”He looked at Tim seriously before speaking again, “But you need to tell me everything…including why two cops from LA are out here on my land poking around.” 

Lucy spoke without thinking , “This land belongs to the Department of Energy…the Reservation sold it to them for drilling and fracking…” Wallace turned toward her his face sharp.

“God gave this land to my people hundreds of years ago….and it will always be mine.Don’t matter who thinks they can squat on it, federal government included.It won’t be the first time someone has come…and gone.”She swallowed hard, suddenly feeling stupid. 

Tim broke the tension, “We’ll tell you what you want to know.” 

Wallace looked at the both of them before nodding slowly.“Ok.You know the fork in the road where you turned to come up here ?”Tim nodded.“Keep going past there about ten miles, you’ll see a road called ‘Big Sky’, follow that for another five miles or so.I live in a cabin set back in the trees..can’t miss it.”He turned to leave before pausing.“Are you after Joey Ferguson or Chris Porter…?”

Lucy paused her jaw dropping open ever so slightly as Tim sucked a sharp breath in.“Ferguson.” 

Wallace smiled a knowing smile as he shook his head.“Yeah…” With that he disappeared into the trees as quietly as he had came.

**TBC….I debated on making one really long chapter here or two shorter ones. This seemed liked a good place to end and I am already working on the next one. Thanks as always for the support and review especially now that the Chenford excitement has considerably waned.**


	8. Chapter 8

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie “Wind River”.Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women. 

**Chapter 8**

The sun was high in the sky as Tim turned off the main highway and onto Big Sky Road.Lucy looked across the console at him for a moment before turning her gaze away.This was becoming an impossible situation and if Charlie Wallace couldn’t help them; Tim would probably lose it all together.The local police could do nothing, the FBI was no where to be found, and if Wallace was telling the truth there were more men in that trailer than the two of them could handle.She knew after everything that happened Tim would never willingly put her in that position again.A small smile came to her lips as Lucy recalled the day that they were surrounded by gangbangers and Tim leaned over whispering to her that ‘In the LAPD you’re never alone’.Seconds later an airship with a SWAT team showed up; it was unreal.This….this was certainly not that.They were outnumbered, outgunned, and there wasn’t anyone coming to the rescue.As Bennet had once told them, this wasn’t the land of back up; this was the land of grab hold of your nuts and get it done. 

Still, they had to be smart and they needed more information.Information she hoped that Charlie Wallace would be happy to share.What his stake in this whole thing was… well it still remained to be seen although Lucy hadn’t missed the look of realization when the girl by the river was mentioned.Maybe he knew her….Bennett had said she was the sister of the murdered girl.Rubbing her temples she couldn’t figure out how it all connected but for some reason she was sure that it did. 

“What do you think of this guy?” His question took her by surprise as normally he told her what to think when it came to questionable characters or tactics.This was new.Licking her lips she took a moment to compose herself before speaking. Tim’s eyes never left the road as she watched his gaze flicker side to side. 

“Well…”. She paused for a moment.Was this a test? Looking back at him for a moment she inhaled sharply, his face was not sharp or questioning but rather desperate and hopeful.This was probably their best and last shot of getting Ferguson without both of them getting killed in the process. “I think that if he wanted to kill me he had plenty of time to do it.”They fell silent for a moment as she shook her head, “I don’t know…he seems straight, like he would help us.I just don’t know what his stake in all this is…why he’s trying to get to Ferguson and Porter too.” 

Tim was quiet for a moment as he exhaled, a dirt road leading to a cabin up ahead.“Well, we’ll see.” Taking the turn Tim purposely slowed the car as he looked at her.“But if he makes any moves you don’t hesitate…I don’t care if we never get Ferguson. It isn’t worth your life…” He trailed off as she stared at him for a moment before looking away.

“It isn’t worth your life or mine….you forgot the mine…” Tim let out a sad sort of laugh.

“I didn’t forget anything.” 

Biting her lip Lucy stared at him for a moment before looking away.The car stopped at the end of the dirt driveway as her hand subconsciously reached for the Glock at her side. It was still there…loaded and ready just like she had left it.Taking a deep breath Lucy swung the door open as her eyes wandered over the cabin. 

The structure was beautiful and clearly built by hand. Taking in the immediate surroundings Lucy saw a large enclosure behind the house that stretched on into the yellow prairie and beyond to the blue hued mountains and the endless Wyoming sky. It was quiet and for a moment she wondered if Wallace had made the whole thing up. Flicking her gaze to Tim she watched as his right hand nervously twitched at the butt of his service piece. The wind blew in the tree tops as a bird chirped; it’s song carried away by the breeze.

“I wasn’t sure that you would come...” Wallace appeared behind them without making a sound. Lucy gasped as she spun around. A nervous laugh escaped her lips.

“How do you keep doing that ?” Wallace shrugged, the serious angles of his face relaxed ever so slightly.

“Must be the Arapaho in me...” She would have believed that a few hours ago when he had her pinned to the ground in full war paint but not anymore. The paint was gone and his long hair was stuffed into a backwards Atalanta Braves hat. The irony of his choice in teams not lost on her. He looked normal, like some guy you would wait behind in line at Walmart. Casting a look toward her partner she found Tims face to be a mix of hope and fear, desperation and suspicion. He was staring at Wallace, his body tense as the other man stared back not intimidated at all. A smirk came to Wallace’s face as he gestured toward the cabin. “Come on inside.”

Stepping through the door behind him, Tim and Lucy were greeted with a large stone fireplace and cozy living room. Taking note of anything unusual Lucy’s eyes perused her surroundings carefully. When nothing seemed out of the ordinary she followed Wallace into the kitchen where he handed her a glass of water.Leaning against the counter, Lucy looked down at the glass before gathering the balls to ask what she wanted to know.

“Did you know the girl at the river?” It would have been narrow of her to assume that he knew the girl based solely on the fact that they were both Indians living on the same reservation.Despite that she hadn’t missed the flicker of recognition when he brought the subject up in the woods. Turning to hand her a glass of water he paused resting his hands on the counter. Appearing to chose his words carefully he slowly nodded.

“Yes....she is my sister.” From the living room Tim paused hearing this sudden admission. Casting a momentary glance he allowed Lucy to continue on as he inconspicuously perused Wallace’s living room. The conversation in the kitchen faded into the background as Tim turned his focus back toward the photos on the wall.There was Wallace with two beautiful Indian girls, both of which looked faintly familiar to him.Eyes roaming he landed on another one in which he looked much younger, perhaps a teenager, sitting around a campfire with an older man and woman, presumably grandparents. Another with a man that looked just like him although thinner, weaker, more haggard and worn.The last photo was a picture of a military unit; strong looking men in digital camo staring proudly at the camera. Reaching, Tim lifted the frame to get a closer look. Most of the men were Indian as he perused their faces, a pang of familiarity in his gut.

“That was taken at Bagram before...” He had come to stand next to Bradford without making a sound.“Before.” Turning he stuffed his hands into his pockets and leaned against the back of the couch. Lucy swallowed hard at the implication left unsaid as Tim continued to stare at the photo.Something about that unit and those men caused an unsettled feeling to come over him as he set the frame down carefully. 

Normally Tim would have immediately volunteered that, he too, was a veteran.Licking his bottom lip he was silent for a moment as he uncharacteristically held back.He was still getting a feel for Wallace and wasn’t about to give anything away until he knew if this guy could be trusted.Besides they weren’t here to swap war stories like old pals…they were here to find out why they are both looking for the same man. 

“Well….” Wallace paused looking between them.“Why don’t we go out back and talk.”The hairs on Tim’s neck stood up.What was wrong with the house? It certainly wasn’t a warm summer day.Following Wallace and Lucy he felt himself wound tight with tension.

Stepping through the back door his eyes fell on a beautiful fire pit and a roaring blaze.Lucy gasped as an easy smile spread across her face. “Wow….did you build this yourself ?”

The ghost of smile played on Wallace’s lips as he nodded, “I built the whole house myself….” Lucy looked surprised as she turned and looked at the cabin with new eyes. It was a beautiful home by any standard but knowing this man built it with his own hands made it truly exceptional.Nodding toward the fire he sat on one of the wooden benches.“You didn’t come here for that though…you want to know why we are both hunting the same men.”

Tim took a seat on the bench opposing him next to Lucy.They were used to being in close quarters with one another but she had noticed lately when they sat together he made sure to leave no space between them.Wringing her hands on the water glass she felt the tension practically radiating off of him.Without thinking she leaned against him as she felt him relax if only slightly. 

Folding his hands in front of him Wallace looked into the fire for a moment before speaking. “The girl at the river yesterday…the one that you found….she’s my sister.Her name is Emily.” He paused for a moment the next part clearly difficult for him. “My other sister, Christina, was found dead a few days ago…”.

Tim was silent as he stared at him over the flames.He had no reason to make such a thing up and by the look on his face he would never want to.His features were marred with pain although something told Tim this man was no stranger to suffering.Lucy swallowed back a pang of anxiety as she remembered the young Indian girl; blood between her legs laying against a tree with the never ending wilderness behind her. “And you think Porter or Ferguson is responsible..” 

Wallace looked up from the fire, his eyes deadly.“I don’t have to think…I know.” Lucy averted her eyes having no response for such certainty.Holding his gaze, Tim waited for him to continue.Looking down for a moment Wallace licked his lips before continuing.“I suppose if you are going to understand this I should start at the beginning….” 

_The cold wind blew across the prairie as the young boy pulled his horse to a stop.An older man trotted up next to him as they stood side by side in silence staring out at the vast brown earth. They had been hunting a mountain lion all morning. Last night the cat snuck into between the goats and took a mother and its kid.While the animal itself wasn’t worth this kind of hunt; the peace of mind to not have a predator in their backyard was.The older man slid off the horse placing his hand in the dirt.Closing his eyes he inhaled deeply._

_Following suite the boy dismounted, curiosity getting the better of him.Wandering around the legs of his horse, he looked down gasping at what he saw.His grandfather’s steady, unwavering eyes momentarily flicked open studying the boy before he closed them again.The older man’s lips moved as silent words tumbled out, the boy watching patiently.High clouds rolled overhead as their shadows raced across the prairie.Opening his eyes, the man stood upright looking around the desolate landscape._

_“What were you saying, grandfather…” The man was quiet for a moment before he regarded the boy thoughtfully.Straightening the saddle on his horse his words were soft and purposeful._

_“I was asking our ancestors for their help…” The boy was silent as he pushed his long black hair away from his eyes considering this for a moment._

_“I don’t understand.”The older man stopped what he was doing, kneeling down next to the boy.Taking his little hand he placed it in the outline of the mountain lion track._

_“Now close your eyes.”The boy did as he was told although he didn’t know why.“The ground you feel is the same land our ancestors have felt for hundreds of years.God gave it to our people; it is sacred.”The older man placed his hand over the boys as he whispered an ancient Arapaho prayer. “When I need guidance or I feel lost I place my hand to the earth and in my heart I can hear the voices of our people.Everyone that has come before and all that will come after. I feel them deep inside of me.”_

_The boy closed his eyes tightly; listening but hearing nothing.The older man took note of his concentration as he ran a loving hand through his hair. Whispering in the boy’s ear his words would ring true for years to come. “You can’t hear it with your ears….you need to feel it in your heart.”_

_The boy opened his eye hesitantly as he looked at the older man before looking down.Closing his eye again he concentrated on the feeling of the dirt under his fingers.This was his people’s land; the piece of earth they lived and died for. All the Arapaho that ever were and ever will be.They were united by this land.While he didn’t understand it, he felt an almost magnetic connection with the earth that would survive for the rest of his life._

Wallace stared into the fire almost mesmerized as he spoke.Tim looked at him before looking away.He had never had a connection that strong in his entire life; not with a person and certainly not with the ground he walked on.Maybe with the job; being a cop was his whole life but some how that just didn’t seem the same.His eyes flickered toward Lucy as she stared at Wallace.Her eyes narrowed as she took in every word he said.

_Walking out the backdoor of the house he slammed it behind him.The yard was quiet although his peace was short lived as the creaky hinges squealed and the door slammed once again.The night air was warm, rare for Wyoming, and even more unusual for early September.Their closest neighbor was a mile away; he imagined what must be like elsewhere in America tonight.Groups of friends and neighbors, families and coworkers huddled around their TVs trying to make sense of it all.Flags flying at half staff, the world momentarily stopped cold._

_“I can’t believe you….can’t believe you want to do something like this…” The words were angry but they weren’t a surprise._

_“We fight for our land…our people…we always have.” Turning around his eyes landed on a boy….a man…that looked strikingly the same._

_“Oh get real Charlie….and by the way…what the fuck has the American Government ever done for you or me or any of our people except fuck us up the ass for the last hundred years !”He looked at his younger brother before looking away. He didn’t have an answer for that.He was twenty three, trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. This seemed right._

_“Our people have never ran when someone tried to take what was ours and we never hide and let someone else do our fighting.”_

_Mikey looked at him before laughing, taking a long drink from the beer in hand.He was barely eighteen; a boy masquerading as a man.“So a plane flies into a building in New York…what the hell does that have to do with us?Huh?”He jabbed the beer into the air causing the brown liquid to splash out.“You know what I think?…” He paused looking out into the dark nothingness.“I think it’s about time…good for them…now they know what it feels like to be invaded.To have someone come into your home and destroy everything you know for no other reason than just because they can.”_

_His brother was too young to know a thing about it, yet he had spent a lifetime listening to his father rant and rave about all the injustices that had been done to their people.That the United States of America wasn’t his country.And that all the problems they had were a result of the white man herding them onto this reservation more than a hundred years ago._

_It was tired and boring and he was sick of hearing it.His eye flicked back to the house as he returned is brother’s gaze.“We fight for what’s ours.That’s the Arapaho way.”His brother opened his mouth to snicker but closed it abruptly as he continued. “And it’s what grandfather would have wanted…” Mikey was quiet as he looked at the ground. The mention of their grandfather causing him to pause._

_The younger man stared back at him solemnly.“You leave here and we’ll fall apart….I can’t do it myself.”Pointing back to the house he shook his head. “The old man is always drunk or high….mom’s a ghost…and those two girls need someone to look after them.”Charlie’s eyes wandered to the wooden bench in the yard.His two sisters sat barefoot, knees pulled up to their chests staring back at him.Christina was four and Emily nine; after Christina there was a brother.Their mother had been tired that night….she just laid down with him for a second…..four hours later as the first light of day broke he was gone.She never recovered and crawled into the bottle right next to their father.Meeting his brother’s eyes once again he was met with a knowing look. “If you go, my brother, there won’t be anything to come back to.”_

Wallace got up from where he was sitting as he found another log to throw on the fire.Shrugging his shoulders a sad smile came to his face.“I couldn’t stand idly by…let someone else go and do the fighting for me.”He looked out at the prairie behind his house. “And no matter what the United States government had done to my people, I was proud to wear that uniform and represent our flag.”Tim looked at him as he continued to think about the photo in his house. There…there was something. He just couldn’t figure out what.“And I loved it…I was good at it.But nothing good in your life comes free.I paid the price when I got home.” 

_The snow was really coming down as he turned off the highway and headed deep into the forest.He had been ‘over there’ for a few years, four tours to be exact.In that time nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed.Tires slipped as he hit the brakes coming to a stop in front of the trailer. The headlights on his truck illuminated the squat dwelling in dim yellow light.Snowflakes began to stick to his windshield as he cut the engine taking a deep breath._

__

_Stepping out of the truck, the smell of Meth burned his nose.He stood still for a moment thinking of nothing but the solid feel of the earth under his feet and the delicate sound of accumulating snow.Swallowing hard he forced his feet to move toward the trailer.He had been chasing his brother since he got back and his brother, in turn, had been chasing his next high.He wished he could say that he was surprised but he wasn’t and in some part he knew that all of this was his fault._

_The door was locked as he pounded on it loudly. “Mikey…it’s me ! Open up.”One of the front widows was broken as he heard movement inside.The door swung open as his brother stood in front of him with a blank stare.His long black hair was tangled and poking out from under a stocking cap._

_“What the hell do you want…” Pushing inside from the porch Charlie was taken aback by condition of the trailer.An open fire burned in a barrel as graffiti was sprayed all over the walls. Snow blew in through an open back window._

_“We need to talk.Bennett and a few of the others are on their way here with awarrant.”Jamming his hands in his coat pockets Charlie tried to look as non threatening as possible.Still he looked nothing like this brother anymore.Where Mikey was gaunt and haggard, Charlie was strong and healthy.His hair was still cut in military fashion as he sported a scar under his eye; a parting gift from a bunch of Hajis. Shrugging his shoulders he tried to sound diplomatic although he had failed at this many times before.“Bennett said if I get you into a program…then the judge will probably dismiss the charges.”_

_Mikey squinted his eyes before his face spread into a taunting smirk. “Oh…..that’s right. You’re a savior…saving the whole world.”He wobbled side to side as he walked closer to his brother until they were nose to nose.Charlie could smell the burnt meth on his breath as he returned the gaze unwavering.“I asked you for help once….and you went off to fight the white man’s war.You didn’t care about us then….you don’t get to care now.”For a moment Charlie thought that Mikey was going to hit him in the face and honestly he deserved that but instead he stepped around him walking toward the fire holding his hands out.Laughing he shook his head. “Christina and Emily are gone…foster care somewhere.Dad’s off drunk with his girlfriend, heard mom overdosed again….that just leaves me and look at what I got.”Lifting his hands he gestured toward the inside of the trailer as if it was a grand palace._

_Lights washed over the front of the trailer casting long shadows inside as Bennett and two of his guys pulled up.“He’s here. Mikey…just agree to go to rehab and this all goes away.”Casting a momentary glance at his brother, Charlie opened the door eager for this to go as peacefully as possible.Standing on the porch he nodded as Bennett and the others approached. “Chief…He’s right inside.”_

_Turning back inside Charlie saw that his brother hadn’t moved as the hairs on his neck stood up.Danger. It was the same feeling he got a million times over in Afghanistan.Swallowing he stepped in front of the cops approaching his brother first.“Come on, Mikey.”_

_In an instant his brother whirled around pulling something from his waistband.Shit…Fuck.Those were the only two words that crossed his mind before he saw the gun come level to Bennett and the others.Their own weapons came out as the relative silence that surrounded them was suddenly filled with a cacophony of yelling and screaming._

_  
“Put it down ! Put the gun down Mikey !” Bennett commanded.Charlie raised his hands._

_“Christ Mikey…put the gun down!”His brother’s lips turned up in a sneer as he shook his head.Eyes darting between the cops and his brother he made a snap decision. Taking one step forward he placed himself between his brother and the cops; all of their guns trained directly on him.Staring into his brother’s eyes he shook his head silently begging him not to do this.“Please…Mikey….Please don’t.”_

_For a moment the drug induced haze cleared and he saw the boy he grew up with, his best friend, his brother.Anger was replaced with sadness as his eyebrows knit together in genuine emotion.“I can’t go back, Charlie….I just…I can’t go back.” Looking him in the eye he whispered, “I’m sorry.”Before any of them could move Mikey brought the gun under his chin and pulled the trigger._

The crackling of the fire was the only sound as Tim swallowed hard before pushing himself off the bench.He needed to walk….to move…to get the fuck out of there.He didn’t know what he needed.But the more he listened to Wallace the more he thought of himself and of Isabel.He wasn’t in love with her; it wasn’t that. But he had been responsible for her just like Wallace had been responsible for his brother.

Isabel had been his wife. A person he once loved….a person he once could’t get enough of.He tried so hard to forget that about her; all the good.Because if he just focused on the bad it made finding her raped and murdered behind a dumpster fractionally easier to deal with.But hearing Wallace’s story made him remember that it wasn’t always bad.That they had fun together…laughed together…cried together.A wave of emotion crashed over him as he walked away.He didn’t want anyone to see him right now. 

Wallace stared at Tim for a moment.He knew whatever had brought them all the way from LA had to be deeply personal, and by the looks of things he wasn’t wrong.Licking his lips he looked back into the fire as Lucy watched Tim disappear into the trees.Exhaling she knew that when he was ready to talk about it he would. Now he needed space.Turning back to Wallace she shrugged, strangely not finding the need to make excuses. 

“We are here, in Wyoming, because three days ago we found Tim’s ex-wife raped and murdered in a LA.”Wallace’s face was blank; non judgmental and definitely not surprised. Hesitantly she continued, it was all going to come out anyway. Maybe it would be easier for him if he didn’t have to say it himself.“She used to be a cop…went undercover and got addicted to heroin. Information we have is that Ferguson killed her.”He nodded a knowing look on his face. 

“Thank you.”Lucy looked at him before looking back down at the fire a nervous laugh escaping her lips.

“For what?” Leaning forward on his knees he regarded her seriously.

“For not lying to me.”Briefly she met his eyes as she nodded slowly to herself.

“So now you know why we are here…what about you ?” Wallace looked at her for a moment as a sad smile came to his face. 

_“And who the fuck was that?”The door slammed as Christina walked past him.Flipping her long back hair over her shoulder she turned, an indignant teenage look on her face._

_“You’re not my dad, Charlie…you can’t tell me what to do.”Disappearing down the hallway he following in anger. Just as she was about to slam another door he wedged his hand in the crack slamming it back open._

_“You’re right, Chrissy I’m not your father but while you live with me you’ll tell me who the hell you’re hanging out with.”He had been sitting on the front porch when the truck rolled up, its brakes squealing something awful. In the purple twilight he saw a white man…a much older white man… in the driver’s seat._

_She looked at him rolling her eyes as she unbuttoned the hostess uniform.Christina was only sixteen, but she had been an adult for years.Just last year he was able to gain custody of her and she was no longer in foster care.While it felt like a win at the time, the damage had already been done.His once beautiful, innocent sister was wise beyond her years as all the youthful exuberance had drained out of her.Still he had hope that she would be able to put all that behind her and find her way.When she got the job at the Wind River Casino as a hostess/waitress he was hesitant.Yes, he would rather have her working than hanging out with God only knows who but that job also exposed to her to all sorts of people._

_“He’s friend…he comes into the casino a lot.”His eyes burned with anger as he took a step into her room._

_“Who the fuck is he…name.. NOW!” Shaking her head she huffed in annoyance._

_“His name is Chris Porter.He works at the drilling site.”She looked at him smugly as if she knew something he didn’t. “He’s from LA and when his contract is over he’s going back….and I’m going with him.”_

_He let out a laugh as if that was the funniest thing he had ever heard and in many ways it was.“You can’t actually believe that…” He stared at her in genuine confusion.“Not to mention you’re only sixteen and I am your guardian.”_

_Slamming the jewelry down onto her dresser she stared back at him, “Oh and I am so lucky for that…”_

_This was a common theme in his family.Always looking for someone else to blame. Since he had returned from Afghanistan it was always him.They weren’t completely wrong, though, while he was gone everything DID fall apart.Taking a deep breath he tried to convey the worry he felt right now._

_“You are too young to be hanging around a man his age.It isn’t safe and I don’t want you to see him again.”He waited for the storm to hit but as she stared at him in silence he felt encouraged to go on.“The men at those sites are rough…they drink and half of them are on drugs….”_

_“How would that be any different from the rest of the people around here ?Any different from Mikey?”Swallowing hard Wallace nodded silent for a moment at the mention of their dead brother._

_“I just want to keep you safe…and I don’t want you near any of those men ever again..”_

_She looked at him nodding as she stepped back out of the doorway giving her some space._

_“You know what I want, Charlie ? I want to turn eighteen so I never have to see you again…” The door slammed in his face as he exhaled loudly._

Lucy stared at him with wide eyes. “That was the last time we spoke…The next night she didn’t come home from work and I knew…I knew she was with him.I drove up to those shit trailers in the morning but nobody was home….couple days later Bennett called. They found her body.”Lucy felt tears come to her eyes as she stared at Wallace. Looking into the fire he looked back at her face for a moment as he shrugged.

“So now you know why I need to find those pricks.Bennett can’t do shit…the FBI thinks another dead Indian girl isn’t worth their time…so that leaves me.”

“No…that leaves us.”He looked up at Lucy, studying her for a moment, trying to figure out if she was serious.When he saw what he needed to see he nodded slowly at her. 

****

Tim leaned forward on the fence resting his elbows as he stared out at the two horses running side by side in the enclosure.They had appeared shortly after he did, no doubt, sensing a foreign presence. 

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Wallace appeared behind him although he couldn’t say he didn’t hear him coming this time.Tim had already decided the man was no threat.Behind him Lucy appeared as their eyes met.Her gaze was questioning, worried, maybe even a little scared.In return he nodded; he was ok….he could handle this with her by his side.A ghost of a smile played across her lips as she came to stand next to him. 

“Are the horses yours?”Lucy’s lips turned into an easy smile as Tim took note of he sudden interest. 

Wallace put one foot on the split rail fence as he nodded easily.“Yes…the brown one is mine.Has never let anyone else ride him…the black one is wild.Showed up a few weeks ago, I’ve been able to ride her a few times but she knows…she knows when someone brings a clear heart and when they are troubled. She won’t let you near her if she senses trouble. It’s the wildness inside of her…” He was quiet for a moment as the black horse took few steps toward them eyeing Lucy.“Christina never held anything back.She let it all out…good, bad, or otherwise.Christina was able to ride her…”

Lucy looked at him before looking back at the horse, its deep brown eyes staring at her in return.For a moment it looked like she might come closer before turning and galloping off across the prarie.Exhaling Lucy shook her head as she took in Tim’s weary expression. “It’s been a long day.Can we meet you somewhere tomorrow? Figure out what to do next maybe.”

Wallace was silent before he nodded.“I would like that…” Lucy offered him a weary smile before replying.

“Thank you for telling us…I promise we will do everything we can to help you.” 

While Tim hadn’t heard all of what Wallace had to say, he had gathered that the man was looking for revenge.His sister had gotten mixed up Ferguson and Porter somehow and they had raped and killed her….and thrown her behind a tree like she was a piece of trash.Much like Ferguson thrown Isabel behind a dumpster.Looking at Lucy for a moment he knew that he trusted her with…well with everything…and if she thought Wallace was a good person then so did he. 

The three of them walked back through the house toward the car.Lucy stopped looking at the photos again. Pointing toward the one of Wallace and his sisters she looked at him seriously.“What was her name…in Arapaho ?”Lucy looked at the photo with the utmost reverence.Staring at her face for a moment Wallace was momentarily taken aback by her genuine interest. 

“Her name was Chilaili…it means snowbird.She was born in January.”Lucy stared at the photo a sad smile coming to her face.

“And Mikey…what was his name?”His eyes wandered over to the photo of him and his brother.

“His name was Mapiya..it means sky.” Pointing to the girl Lucy found at the river, “And that’s Emily….her name is Onyda. It means long awaited…my parents really wanted a girl after me and Mikey.” 

Her eyes wandered from the photos back to him, “And yours?”

Wallace looked at her seriously for a moment before his face spread into knowing smile.“No…I’ll tell you one day…just not today.”Lucy smiled back at Wallace as she looked at the photos once more. 

“I won’t ever forget their names.”Wallace met her gaze before averting his eyes. 

“Thank you.”It was a whisper but they all heard it.

* * *

Lucy awoke slowly as she blinked her eyes trying to figure out where she was.The hotel…Wyoming…right.Pushing up to her elbows she looked around the dimly lit room.After everything that happened today they rode back to Lander in silence.Once in the hotel room she laid down on the bed and closed her eyes not intending to fall asleep.Looking around the room she saw that she was alone as a momentary surge of fear went through her.Taking a deep breath she brought herself back to reality. It was Tim, he would never leave her. 

The curtains were parted slightly at the back window as she walked toward it peering out.The sweeping mountains were bathed in purple light and the sun was nearly gone as the prairie grass blew gently in the breeze.Her eyes continued to wander until they stopped on something in the rundown old park behind the hotel.Tim sat on one of the benches, his arms folded over his chest and his legs crossed at the ankle.He stared at something and nothing.Letting the curtain close she peeled off the clothes she had been wearing all day and slipped on a faded LAPD sweatshirt and leggings.Working out of uniform was definitely growing on her, if you could call this work at all.It didn’t feel like that…it felt like something they just had to do. 

Tim could hear footsteps on the pavement.And then she was standing there next to him.“Want some company ?”He looked at her briefly before looking back out again. 

“You’re my partner…I always want you to be there.”Lucy felt her heart flutter as she sat down next to Tim leaving no space between them.“You know I’ve never been in a place that made me feel so insignificant.In LA everyone is worried about themselves all day; it’s easy to forget how small you really are.” 

Lucy looked at him before looking back at the purple tinged sky and the steep peaks. “I know what you mean.Coming here…it’s really reminded me of what’s important and what isn’t.” 

Tim sighed as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.“Today when Wallace as telling us about his family I…I started to remember what Isabel was like before…before everything went to shit.”She leaned into his hip letting him know what she was there but not interrupting.“I blocked out every good memory of her…everything except the bullshit….the lies, the drugs, the hurt. That’s all I wanted to think about.Because if I thought about something good I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”His voice was raw with emotion as Lucy listened intently unsure of what to do next. 

Pushing off his knees Tim shook his head.“We used to laugh so much….about everything, anything, nothing.We just liked being together.She loved breakfast….and coffee…she liked to swim in the ocean and she did yoga every morning.”Lucy felt a tear come to her eye as she looked down.She saw his chest heave up and down as he tried to contain the emotion.“Before this whole undercover thing came up, we tried to have a baby…she miscarried though and…and I can still remember sitting on the bathroom floor next to her crying, telling her that it would be ok…that we would try again.”Without thinking Lucy reached out, wrapping her hand around his bicep as his whole body tensed for a moment. 

“Tim…you don’t have to tell me. We can just sit here together.”He was quiet for a moment. 

“No…I want you to know.”His voice as strangled and just above a whisper.“She was a person…a good person once….and….she didn’t deserve to die like that…all alone.”A sob escaped his lips as the tears he had been holding back all day ran down his face.Pushing forward Lucy wrapped her arm around his as she leaned into him, her head resting against his.Tim shook his head “She was scared and alone…hurt…bleeding.And I…I wasn’t there.”Covering his eyes with his hand he cried silently, not even giving himself the luxury of letting everything pour out. He didn’t deserve that. She knew he had been blaming himself for Isabel all along.Knew that this would come eventually when he finally allowed himself to feel everything. 

“It wasn’t your fault….you did everything you could for her.” Her words helped to ease some of the pain althoughno one could ever erase all of it. They stayed that way unmoving for a long time just existing next to one another. 

As darkness began to fall over them, Tim sat back against the bench, somewhat relieved that she could no longer see his face.The relative anonymity of night making them both feel somewhat braver than in the daylight.Carefully he moved so that he wrapped his arm around pulling her in close to him.Lucy swallowed feeling her stomach clench as she put one of her legs over his inching even closer.There was no moon as a million stars shone overhead brightly.Inhaling Tim turned to look at her although he could barely make out the outline of her face.He wasn’t thinking…just feeling.Reaching up he took his other hand and ran it through her hair and down the side of her face feeling her soft skin.Lucy’s heart was pounding as she nestled herself closer to him fully aware of how wrong this all was on paper but how completely right it felt.In the blackness she could see the outline of his face bend toward her as she closed her eyes.His lips met hers hesitantly at first.Adjusting herself slightly she turned her head to deepen the pressure as she felt his other hand come to rest on her cheek. 

The kiss itself was gentle and sincere, there were no pretenses behind it and no expectations.And yet it made a jolt of electricity travel through her.Pulling away Tim inhaled sharply acknowledging the line the the had just crossed.And yet it felt right and good and perfect.It felt perfect. 

**Alright ! I hope that was worth the wait.I didn’t really plan to have them kiss here but it felt natural.I hope you all like the story so far and I did a lot of back story on Wallace here because he’s going to be important in the rest of this ! Thanks for reading everyone.**


	9. Chapter 9

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie “Wind River”.Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women. 

**Chapter 9**

_Her head bounced roughly up and down over the uneven ground.She heard the throttle accelerate as she hurtled toward a destination unknown.The tarp on top of herflapped in the cold wind as two male voices argued.The engine revved as the sled she was strapped to flew down a hillside and through a rut jerking her roughly side to side.If not for the fact that her hands were bound she would be holding on for dear life.She wanted to scream, to yell for help..someone, anyone, but she couldn’t.Opening her mouth nothing came out._

_The forward motion began to slow as she sensed her fate had already come to pass.Wherever this was….this was it.The ATV stopped and she heard someone flick open a lighter.Footsteps came closer as the tarp was suddenly ripped away.She wanted to blink against the bright light but her eyes were frozen in an eternal terrified stare.Another man came to stand over her as they stared at her partially naked body; their eyes settling on the blood between her legs.They had been sloppy; high on meth and booze, protection was an afterthought.It was all right there, all the evidence anyone would need, they would just have to know where to look.Taking a long drag on the smoke the shorter man jabbed his finger toward the tree line. Nobody would find her; at least not before the bears and coyotes would pick her apart._

_They pulled her off the sled, dragging her across the rough ground by her ankles.Her head smashed off a rock but it didn’t hurt…it couldn’t hurt. All the hurt in the world had been laid upon her the night before.Roughly they sat her limp body up against an old pine tree; the wind gently blowing the highest branches side to side.It was quiet and for a moment she almost felt at peace.They would leave her here alone with the sky and the forest as her only companions.She had come from the earth and to the earth should would return._

_She wanted them to leave. To stop torturing her.To let her finally rest.The shorter man turned to return to the ATV as the other one bent down over her.She hadn’t seen his face…he was always in the shadows.Against the crystal clear blue sky he came into focus; his lips spreading into a sick smile and a laugh echoing off the lonely hills._

_“I told you this was going to be fun, Officer Chen.”Caleb…it was Caleb._

Gasping Lucy sat bolt upright in bed.Her face was covered with a sheen of sweat as she sharply sucked a breath in.Blinking a few times she looked around the darkened hotel room as she felt her stomach churn.The back of her throat was tight but it had nothing to do with nausea she felt; no matter where she went or what she did she would never be rid of him.Caleb…dead and gone but would always be there. He would always be dogging her in both her conscious and unconscious thoughts. 

Exhaling she swung her legs over the bed feeling the need to bolt.Where she didn’t now but she knew she wanted to get out of there. 

“Hey…” His voice stopped her as she was ready to push herself up. At Lucy’s sides her balled fists flexed and relaxed for a moment.Licking the sweat from her upper lip she collected herself with a shaky breath.

“I’m fine…” Tim hummed in reply as she heard the bed creak. Reaching over with his left hand he lightly touched her back.Again the darkness making him braver and more bold than the bright scrutiny of daylight.Lucy felt his fingertips and was surprised that his touch, even so light, had an immediate calming effect on her. She would have thought anyone touching her right now would only make the sickening sensation of Caleb, still lingering in her mind, all the more vivid.Breathing in and out she slouched over resting her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands.The anxiety, the fear, the hyper vigilance faded away as she was filled with an unmistakable sadness. “I will never escape him…he will always be there…one way or another.” 

The words left her mouth before she could think about it as she inwardly cringed. She sounded so desperate and so weak.Shifting himself in the bed, Tim grabbed onto her, pulling her back to lay down.Strangely enough the action didn’t feel awkward as she settled back on the mattress next to him.There was no space between them as she felt herself exhale.Behind her back was Tim’s left arm with his hand laying still on the bed.In the darkness her eyes wandered over to him although she couldn’t see anything.Licking her lips Lucy knew that he was letting her move this forward on her own terms and in her own time.Not rushing or crowding or trying to move in and take it all away; just letting her feel what she was feeling in that moment, but still remaining steadfast at her side in support. 

Turning toward him, her forehead came to rest against his cheek as she felt his arm wrap around her pulling her into him.Tentatively she rested a hand on his chest as she felt him exhale a shaky breath. When he spoke his voice was barely above a whisper.“I am so sorry for what happened to you….”

Shaking her head Lucy opened her mouth to speak, “….I don’t blame you though”.Tim adjusted slightly under her as he reflexively pulled her in tighter against him.Warmth flooded her body as the rigid anxiety of her nightmare faded away. 

When he spoke again his voice was stronger, more resolute.“Nothing like that will ever happen to you, again…I promise.”Lucy began to reply before she shut her mouth.What could she say to that? No one had ever had a such a strong desire to keep her safe and while she knew that was what being partners meant, she also knew that this was something more.

They lay there quietly in the darkness for a while, both enjoying the sensation of being this close to one another.In each other’s arm they found a mutual safety and acceptance that existed no where else.Lucy’s soft voice broke the moment, “Tim…”

Humming in reply she felt the ripple of vibration through his chest.“What’s happening between us ?”In the darkness Tim smirked; typical Lucy…always had to know where to file the emotions she was feeling. 

“I don’t know…but I know that I like the way it makes me feel.”Lucy thought about that for a moment laying there in the darkness; the emotions on her face unseen.Life was complicated and messy, beautiful and tragic…it needed to be felt not filed.Her chest deflated as she felt herself start to release the control she held onto so desperately.

“Me too.” 

* * *

The diner was crowded as Tim and Lucy sat down waiting for Wallace to show up.Instead of meeting on the reservations he said he would drive down to the diner across from their motel. Something about business in Lander, Tim didn’t ask too many questions. While he found Wallace to be a credible guy who had, no doubt, been through the ringer, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else…That photo of Wallace and his combat unit stirred a memory inside of Tim that he just couldn’t place but he knew that it wasn’t good.He knew there was something tragic and unseen behind that photo.He just didn’t know what. 

The waitress appeared with coffee while they nodded their thanks. The bell over the door jingled as Wallace appeared hesitant as he scanned the restaurant.Lucy stared out the window as Tim quietly stirred his coffee watching the man in front of him.He seemed out of place and nervous as a few men hunched over the counter turned to stare at him.Averting his eyes he met Tim’s as they stared at one another for a moment, both men knowing there as something else…something more they were both holding back from each other.Nodding slightly, Wallace quickly made his way down the crowded aisle, dodging a waitress with a full tray as he slid into the booth across from Tim and Lucy.

Lucy greeted him with a smile as Tim forced himself to set suspicion aside, at least for the time being.He was quiet as the waitress appeared pouring him a cup of coffee before leaving.Tim noticed a certain tension around him here that wasn’t there last night. He wasn’t sure if it was because of Wallace himself or because the white people in Lander held resentment toward the Indians. While both he and Lucy has been surprised by the warm welcome they received there, they also knew that most people thought it as nothing but a place of drugs, crime, and general savagery.

Wallace took a drink of coffee before looking out the window and then back at them.“I was thinking last night after you left….I think I know how we can get Ferguson and Porter alone…”

Tim was silent.The longer he was here and the more he saw; the more he was coming to the realization that this wasn’t going to be a by the book affair.He had always been a cop of integrity, coming close to the line but never crossing it.The line, however, didn’t mean shit to him here. The only thing he cared about was getting them both out of here alive.He would protect Lucy no matter what he had to do. 

“Well tonight is Friday….the whole crew usually heads into town every Friday to go to the Casino.That’s how Christina got mixed up in this shit…..”He was silent for a moment looking down into the coffee before speaking again lowering his voice.“They go there because they like young, pretty Indian girls……girls who, they think, no one will miss.”Lucy swallowed hard.How fucking hard was it to be woman in this place. God…she would never complain again.Shaking her head….she suddenly knew where this was going. 

“I’ll do it…”

Tim turned his head abruptly toward her ready to immediately shoot the idea down as the mere thought of those animals around her made him sick.Before he could open his mouth she looked at him seriously.“There’s no other way to get who we want alone….and you know that..”Swallowing hard he did know that. 

Wallace looked between them before continuing.“My sister, Emily, will be working there tonight…she can show you what to do.”Tim looked at him before looking down at his hands. He didn’t like any part of this but it was a good plan and a good idea if they could get it to work.“Most of the time they get drunk and sleep it off in town….unless…unless they find a girl…”He trailed off. “They like to take her back to the trailers….do what they want there.”Lucy felt her heat begin to pound as she stared at Wallace. A brief flash of Caleb made her squeeze her eyes shut and shake her head.He couldn’t own her…not unless she let him. 

Next to her she heard Tim exhale loudly.While he was no Isabel, he had done his own share of plainclothes work over the years.He knew how to set up an op, surveillance, and how to lean on the public to get where you wanted.His mind began to spin.Flashing the badge should be enough to get her in, if Wallace’s sister could facilitate the situation it could look natural and real, and she would never leave his sight.That was it…if that condition couldn’t be met, they weren’t doing this. 

When Tim spoke he sounded measured and logical and Lucy felt hope that this was going to happen. “Ok, we do this…she stays in my sight at all times.Anything goes sideways or they make any wrong moves it’s over.” 

Wallace nodded, wanted those bastards to pay but he also understood the need to protect your own.“I understand.” 

Lucy was a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Looking at Wallace, “Will you also be there ? Just in case.”It wasn’t a bad idea although Tim knew he would never willfully leave her safety up to Wallace. 

He laughed as he shook his head. “Oh I wish…” Looking at the window before meeting their gaze.“I’m banned from that place.After I found out that old prick was hanging around my sixteen year old sister I went in there and beat the shit out of him…”. He trailed off shaking his head.“If I go back, I get arrested…Emily loses her job.” 

They were all quiet for a moment; contemplating what they were about to do.Lucy spoke first, her voice firm and confident. “I can do this…we can do this.” Tim’s eyes wandered to his partner’s face.Staring at her, a million thoughts went through this mind.Like how she was risking it all for him, how excited and confident she looked in this moment, how beautiful she was…and how she felt laying next to him in the dark.Jesus…he couldn’t look away.Blinking he brought himself back to reality as the bell over the door clanged loudly. Gaze briefly flickering over Wallace’s shoulder he made eye contact with a familiar looking man at the door.Bennett stood at the register pulling out a twenty as he nodded toward Tim.His eyes briefly wandered to the back of Wallace’s head as a cloud of something passed over his face.Taking the paper bag they handed over, he turned and walked back out the door, the bell jingling.Watching the man walk across the parking lot Tim felt something turn in his stomach. 

* * *

Tim sat on then edge of the bed with his hands folded.He hoped that the jeans, sneakers and black hoodie would make him non descript enough to blend in with the crowd at the casino which he suspected would be a mix of locals and tourists. As Wallace pointed out, it was the only place a white person would want to go on the Res.He still wasn’t crazy about the idea of Lucy so close to those pricks alone but he wouldn’t let her out of his sight. 

The bathroom door opened as she appeared doing a twirl in front of him.Her normally brown hair was colored jet black and straightened silky smooth.Without thinking he reached out and touched it as she turned.Fuck….he couldn’t even stop himself.When had this happened ? He didn’t know.And maybe that’s because it had been happening all along.Still…a date and time would have made him feel better right now, would have made this all easier to understand.Turning she met his eyes as he inhaled sharply.He felt himself falling forward into what he didn’t know. 

“What do you think ?” She smiled at him, a real Lucy smile. Despite himself and his general trepidation over this whole thing, he smiled back at her.She looked beautiful like always but he had to admit that her Asian features were strikingly similar to a Native American woman.The black hair had been her idea and only enhanced the look.Those dumb, drunk bastards would never known the difference.

“Perfect…” She paused meeting his eyes. They stayed that way for a moment before she laughed a little. 

“We should probably get going so that you can talk the manager into this whole scheme.”Pushing himself off the bed, Tim was the one to laugh now. 

“When you’re in the LAPD, boot. You let the badge do all the talking.”Rolling her eyes Lucy flicked off the lights as they left the motel. 

* * *

An hour later Tim sat at the bar staring down into a Bud Light trying to appear occupied by a video poker machine.The Wind River Casino was nothing spectacular although it was definitely one of the most modern places he had seen since they arrived.It was also most definitely one of the few places to be on a Friday night as the crowds began to build. Lucy had disappeared into a back room a few minutes ago to get changed into the casino “uniform” if one could call it that. A plunging black v-neck with fake native style beading and a pair of black leggings with heels.Tim watched as young Indian girls, some looking to be barely eighteen, wandered about serving drinks and smiling at customers.He could see how Wallace’s sister had fallen in with the wrong kind of men here.

Lucy stared at herself in the yellowing mirror.The bathroom was cramped as she pulled the tank top over her head, shaking her hair out. While she knew that she could pass for an Indian woman she also worried that would be what they would take her as. An Indian WOMAN. A quick survey of the place had revealed mostly teenage girls that could barely pass as legal.While she was still young she was not THAT young.Exhaling she felt a wave of anxiety come over here. What If she couldn’t do it…what if she looked too old…what if they just weren’t interested.What if she blew this whole thing.And the biggest ‘What If’ yet…what if in the middle of it all she had a panic attack; not able to see or think or hear anything but Caleb Wright with a ‘W’.Exhaling a shaky breath Lucy met her own gaze in the mirror. Even if they didn’t say it, they were all counting on her right now. She couldn’t let them down…she wouldn’t let them down.

Swinging the door open she was met with the sight of a young Indian girl clutching a serving tray to her chest.She looked at Lucy before looking back down at her feet.Lucy opened her mouth and then shut it again when she saw the bandages on the girl’s forearm. 

“Emily ?”When they found her at the river she was covered in blood, black hair matted to her tear stained face.She looked similar but not at all.The girl at the river was hopeless, vacant, broken; this girl looked shy, innocent, and afraid. Hesitantly she brought her eyes to meet Lucy’s. Slowly she nodded. 

“My brother told me you were coming…I remember you from the river….”She trailed off, her eyes returning to the floor. She added almost in a whisper, “He said you are helping him find the men who hurt Chrissy….” 

Lucy wanted desperately to touch the girl, to reassure her that everything would be ok and that yes, they were going to find the animals that hurt her sister.But she didn’t…she couldn’t.No matter how much she knew about this girl’s life and the life of her family, she was still a stranger.Offering her a sympathetic smile she nodded.“We are going to find the men who hurt your sister, Emily.And we are going to make them pay for what they did.”

The young girl looked at her before nodding slowly.She was either unsure if she should believe her or unsure that she should hope for so much.Native American women went missing all the time and no one gave a shit.No one even counted them….so really they had no idea how many were actually gone.Maybe this time would be different; maybe the world would start caring what happened to Indian girls.Maybe her sister would be the first. 

“Come on…I’ll show you were to pick up the drinks and how to keep a tab.”The moment between them had evaporated and now it was time to show she meant what she had said.Nodding, Lucy followed her back out onto the casino floor. A cloud of cigarette smoke enveloped her as she walked past a row of slot machines briefly looking toward the bar and making eye contact with Tim. Looking up he acknowledged her with a slight nod before directing his eyes away.Compared to her Tim was a practiced undercover; she, on the other hand, felt like she was seconds away from blowing the whole thing.

Emily showed her where to get the drinks and how to ring out a tab.For the first hour or so she followed her around watching as grown men, old enough to be her father, licked their lips staring at her chest.Resisting the urge to punch them in their fat, ugly faces she instead smiled and distributed the drinks Emily balanced effortlessly on her tray.Every so often she would pass by Tim making brief eye contact before resuming her rounds around the casino floor. 

Glancing at the clock it was nearly midnight as she felt her heart sink a bit. Where were these assholes ? Leaning over the bar she picked up a tray loaded with drinks as she turned to distribute them.Careful not to drop anything, her attention was momentarily diverted to door as a rowdy pack of rough looking white men pushed their way inside.Immediately she spotted Ferguson, knowing him from both his mugshot and their stake out at the trailers.Turning abruptly and before they could see the look of recognition on her face she inadvertently tipped the tray too far right and before she could stop it the drinks were crashing to the ground.It was no exaggeration to say that everyone in the casino turned to look at her as her face turned a bright shade of crimson.It took everything inside of her to not look right at Tim in that moment as she forced the most innocent, ditzy smile she could mange.Hearing the clatter Ferguson and his cronies turned to look and she didn’t miss the opportunity to return his stare; a cute smile, shrug, and plenty ofcleavage to behold as she bent over to begin cleaning up her mess. 

Tim watched the whole thing unfold in what was almost slow motion.From the pack of dogs coming in the door to the drinks clattering on the ground. He wanted to cringe, to hide under the bar for her but then something happened.The distraction brought all eyes in the casino to her, Ferguson included.And to Lucy’s credit she didn’t let the moment pass her by. Singling him out she tried to appear cute…ditzy even. He never thought he would use that word to describe his partner.But it worked and Ferguson was intrigued. That was what undercover was all about; seizing the moment. 

“Oh my God…are you ok ?”In a few seconds time Emily was crouching down next to her helping her clean up the broken glass. 

“Yeah…” Ferguson and his buddies had disappeared to the other side of the casinoas Lucy threw a glance toward her partner at the bar.Holding her gaze for a split second he gave a nod before casually averting his eyes once again.He saw them too.It was on now.All up to her. 

Emily leaned in toward her ear whispering. “Those are the guys.” 

Lucy kept her eyes to the floor as she nodded, “I know.” 

Taking the tray of broken glass, Emily looked at her seriously before standing up.“Be careful, Lucy.” Holding the younger girl’s gaze for a moment she nodded.By the time they had cleaned everything up most people had turned their attention to something else. Retuning to the bar, Lucy grabbed another tray putting a few beers on it, hazarding a guess as to what low life pig rapists might enjoy, and headed toward Ferguson and his crew.This was it.Now or never. 

The men were rowdy and rough, punching the slot machines as if the added force would bring some luck their way.As she approached, Ferguson looked up from what he was doing.His face spread into a disgusting smile as she forced one of her own.Coming right toward him she began distributing the beers among his friends.“Fellas…how about some beers to get things started tonight ?”

Ferguson took his beer while looking down her shirt in the process.“We didn’t order any beers yet, honey.”She smiled and shrugged.

“These are on the house…manager says I owe everyone in this whole place a drink after the mess I just made.”She shook her head looking away and feigning embarrassment.Was she doing this right? Was he believing her right now?

Ferguson laughed as he held the beer up in a mock cheers.“I haven’t seen you around here before…” He apprised her appearance and she wasn’t sure if he was just looking or trying to figure something out. 

Forcing a girlish laugh sound to emit from her mouth, Lucy swished her newly dyed black hair side to side.“I just moved back from Cheyenne….family stuff you know….nothing all that interesting.”He looked at her nodding as she averted her eyes trying to appear disappointed.“This is the last place I wanted to be…believe me. The Res blows…nothing to do…ever.”Huffing a little, she pouted making herself seem much less mature. 

Ferguson rolled the bottle of beer against his chest as he eyed her hungrily.He was already drunk; Lucy could see it in his eyes.Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard after all. “I know where there’s something to do….if you’re interested.” 

Lucy looked back toward the bar pretending to seem busy before then turning back toward Ferguson inching closer to him.“What’s that ?”Turning on the stool he placed his knee between her legs as Lucy had to fight the reflex to vomit. 

“I got a place not far from here…plenty of things we could do there if you know what I mean…” Biting her bottom lip she forced herself to flirt with this pig. 

  
“Oh yeah ?…What kind of things…” Ferguson sat back in the chair forcing his knee further between her legs.In the dim light Lucy looked him over for a moment.His face was hollow and sunken around the cheeks as his brown hair was unkept and sticking up in the back and his face hadn’t been shaven in days.Yes Wyoming life led one to abandon some pretenses but he was a far cry from Tim and what Isabel saw in this mess she could never know.Well actually….she did know….drugs. Her next high. 

Laughing sadistically Ferguson rocked back and forth slightly.“Oh I’m sure we could figure something out.”This was good; he was biting much harder and faster than she had thought he would.He was on the hook.

Backing up, she nodded to the bar.“I’ll be back soon.”Ferguson laughed.

“I’ll be here waiting, baby.” 

Passing behind Tim she let her arm brush against his back needing the physical connection with him to bring herself back to reality. The feeling of Ferguson jamming his knee between her legs made her stomach churn and her hands shake.Putting the tray down on the bar she let her eyes wander toward her partner needing some kind of encouragement right now.Looking up Tim offered her a small smile; he was here, he wouldn’t let anyone hurt her…not now… not ever again.They broke eye contact quickly not wanting anyone to catch on.Readying herself to make another pass through the casino floor she concentrated on nothing else but handing the sweaty glasses to waiting hands.Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ferguson staring at her, next to him was Chris Porter…the man Wallace and Bennett believed killed Christina.A cigarette hung loosely from his lips as he mindlessly jammed money into the slots.The rest of their group had dispersed throughout the casino as Lucy knew this was her chance to seal the deal. 

Two beers remained on her tray as she walked over to the pair; Ferguson watching her in anticipation. Placing the cold beer into his hand she cast a glance toward the bar catching Emily watching her with unmistakable hope in her eyes.Leaning on the back of Ferguson’s chair she whispered close to his ear hoping the feeling of her hot breath on his face would drive him insane.“I’m ready to have some fun….but I like it with two not just one…” Ferguson laughed splashing some of the beer onto his pants as Porter’s eyes wandered to her face and then her chest. 

  
“Me and my cousin can handle that….right Chris ?”Fuck this was too easy…maybe she hadn’t done it right.Porter nodded slowly clearly intrigued although not as eager as Ferguson.Casting a glance at Porter she saw that he was average in stature and similar to Ferguson but paler, rounder, and more disheveled. What a sixteen year old girl would want with a mess like him was beyond her.She must have been even more desperate to get away than Wallace thought. Biting her lip she tried to appear hopeful as her gaze bounced between the two of them. 

“We can handle that…” Ferguson laughed as Lucy forced a smile for them both.Looking back toward the bar she nodded hoping that Tim would catch her gesture. 

“I don’t get off for a few hours yet…I can meet you back at your place….” Before they left the motel Tim told her under no circumstances was she to get into a car with these two.With the Res being as desolate as it was it would be difficult to follow without being made.On top of that if they got suspicious and took a detour he would never be able to find her and unlike in LA there was nobody to call.She hoped prolonging it would make them tired and unwilling to hang around. 

Porter looked at her for a moment before shrugging, the cigarette bouncing up and down in his mouth.“Ain’t gonna wait around all night…” Lucy swallowed hard. Ferguson looked between his cousin and her, not wanting the chance to get laid to slip through his fingers. 

  
“We’ll be alright…just be ready to party when you get there..”Lucy giggled trying to seem enchanted when really she just wanted to throw up. 

“I’ll be ready…”Glancing at the clock it was after one in the morning. 

“Give me your number, I’ll text you the directions…”. Lucy reached for her phone but stopped short.She had a LA area code, Ferguson would know that.Carefully sliding her hand in the back of her jeans she pretended to scratch her back hoping that neither caught on. 

“Oh shit…you know I left my phone at home…I get terrible reception anyway.”That was no lie. Since she had been here she noticed that practically the entire Res had no cell service.Porter eyed her briefly before looking back at the slot machine.Ferguson on the other hand was so drunk he had no clue what was going on. “You know I grew up here…know this place like the back of my hand.I’m sure I could find the place without much trouble..”

Ferguson went on to describe how to get to the trailers emphasizing the big Department of Energy Signs and the fact that local police could go fuck themselves before setting foot on “his land”.Lucy almost snorted at that; if this land belonged to anyone it was Arapaho girls like Christina and Emily.Girls whose hopelessness they took advantage of before tossing them out with the trash.Despite herself and the complete disgust that permeated every inch of her being she smiled, laughed and nodded. 

Turning to leave she heard Ferguson call after her, “I’ll be waiting baby…”.

Tim watched as Lucy thew a coy smile over her shoulder toward Ferguson.He didn’t hear a word of their exchange but judging by the smiles and laughing he felt his boot…his partner… had done a good job.Pushing his beer away he got up to use the bathroom hoping that Lucy would see him moving toward the rear of the building and follow.Tim kept his head down not wanting anyone to give him a second glance. 

“Tim….?” He heard his name but didn’t register that someone was talking to him.“Tim..”Stopping he turned his head locking eyes with Bennett.Oh Christ….this wasn’t good.Casting a glance over his shoulder he didn’t see Ferguson, Porter, or Lucy anywhere in sight as he eyed the Chief anxiously.

“Chief…” Nodding he moved behind a row of slots. Trying to look casual Tim nodded toward the other side of the casino.. “I’m kind of in the middle of something right now…” The pink and green lights cast the Chief’s tan face in dim glow as a look of knowing past over his features.

“Eh….No surprise those pricks are here tonight….”He looked down before meeting Tim’s eyes.“Saw you and Lucy this morning at the diner with Charlie Wallace…” Tim’s mind flashed back a few hours. Blinking he wondered what this was about. 

“Yeah….” 

Bennett appeared to be choosing his words carefully, “Be careful with him….He’s a bit of a loose canon…does things HIS way.”Tim nodded, the knot of suspicion in his gut twisting.

“Uh huh…” Bennett shrugged his shoulders as he turned to go.

“Just be careful…”

Chris Porter zig zagged through the casino headed for the bathroom.He wasn’t sure why Joey was so jacked about this Indian girl but if she was willing to put out, who was he to say no.She had just better not get out of line like the last one.Looking up he saw Sam Bennett, the Wind River Chief of Police standing against the slot machines talking to a white man.Stopping he slid his ass into a stool keeping his eyes averted.He knew Bennett…the boys called him Wagon Burner Bennett and a few other derogatory names.Had kicked them out of various places around town once or twice but could never arrest them and they made sure to taunt him with that fact on the regular.Turning the Chief walked toward the door as Porter leaned forward getting a look at the guy he was talking to.

A white guy; very clean cut…looked kind of like a cop.Turning he walked toward the bathroom.Leaning back, Porter chewed this over for a moment.This guy wasn’t a cop on the Res; he knew all them native pigs. A moment later, he re-emerged looking around.Pulling his hood up, Porter leaned back; his face hid in the shadows of the dim lighting.Suddenly a woman came out of nowhere taking the guys hand and leading him away.They lingered in the shadows for a moment before she looked over her shoulder. 

It was the bitch who practically put her pussy on a platter for Joey. He knew something was up with this shit.None of these Native bitches, no matter how desperate they were, made it that easy. He watched as the two of them parted ways each going in a different direction. Whatever she was up to…she would regret it. Because in this place there would be no one coming to help.

* * *

Gripping the wheel tighter, Lucy guided the rental over the dark and lonely highway. In the backseat behind her Tim leaned his head against the worn fabric exhaling loudly.“Keep them both in front of you at all times…I won’t be far behind but you need to make sure neither of them have access to a weapon before we do this….I’ll be there if something goes bad but if we do this right they both go in and everybody goes home.” 

Lucy nodded although she knew he wasn’t watching her.“Did you call Wallace ?” Tim squeezed his eyes shut at that question. No he didn’t call Wallace.He didn’t know what it was but something about that guy just didn’t fit.That, coupled with Bennett’s ominous warning, and he had made a snap decision to keep Wallace on the bench this time.Right or wrong, Tim had always trusted his gut.He knew, however, that Lucy liked the man and trusted him albeit a bit blindly. 

“Yeah…” He needed her focused right now…he would apologize for lying afterwards.

Making the turn off of the main highway she guided the rental along the river toward the trailers.Except for the glow of her headlights absolute blackness enveloped them.In the backseat Tim crouched down behind her.The plan wasn’t sophisticated but it was the best they could do with what they had.Lucy would gain access to the trailer and open a window somewhere out of sight…Tim would crawl in and they would take the two pricks down before they knew what hit them.God…so many things could go wrong.Swallowing hard he shook his head. 

“Stop here….I’ll get out…pull up about twenty feet and I’ll meet you there.” Doing as she was told Lucy pulled the rental over and Tim got out silently shutting the back door.Fading into the darkness he drew his weapon.Stopping the vehicle slightly ahead Lucy cut the lights and got out.The lights in the trailer where on as she silently closed her own door.Drawing her service piece, Tim came up on her flank and he nudged her forward.

“Ok…move quietly.”Carefully they moved together in the darkness.Lucy dared not breath as she felt it could set the whole tenuous affair off balance.Behind her she heard a twig snap as a sick laugh echoed through the lonely forest. 

“Well….well looks like I was right again.”Feeling the barrel of something jam into her back she froze.“Put the guns down slowly and turn around.”

Lucy felt her heart squeeze in her chest. _Oh my fucking God….they know…they know._ Before her brain could even catch up to the situation at hand, Tim was already in motion.Stuffing his own weapon back into his hands he turned quickly grabbing blindly in the dark.Hands landing on the barrel of the AR pressed into her back she felt him roughly jerk the weapon away sending Porter off balance.Lucy turned pointingher gun toward the sounds of struggle as she heard a whooshing from behind.Without a second to react she was tumbling forward gun out as someone jumped onto her back pushing her onto the ground.The back end of her Glock jammed into her chest as she heard the crack of glass. 

Struggling to breath she felt a heavy weight on top of her before scuffling footsteps and Tim yelling.“Get off of her…” The weight shifted as she realized that her right hands was still clamped around the butt end of the Glock.Two bodies fell beside her as she heard grunting and fists smacking flesh.But still she could see nothing….and the absolute blackness was so disorienting. Sounds echoed off the desolate forest as she felt paralyzed and unsure how to react. Tim had once told her the most valuable thing she had were her ‘cop eyes’ but what do you do when you can’t see ?

Pushing herself to her feet she saw another figure moving toward the scuffle on the ground.There was moaning and struggling, swearing and heavy breathing.Taking a breath she brought her firearm level to where she thought they were.Moving her index finger forward she switched the gun mount flash light on but nothing happened.The cracking sound she heard when she fell forward was the flashlight shattering on a rock.Panic began to rise up inside of her as she realized the gun was no useless.No matter how good of a shot she was she would never risk Tim’s life firing a round into the pitch dark.

Stuffing her gun back into the waistband of her jeans she heard Tim’s strangled voice pierce the cold night air. “Lucy….GO !!! RUN !!! GET HELP!!!” 

She heard a man laughing as someone pushing away from the struggle on the ground and began moving toward her.All she could make out was a silhouette of blackness and the sickening smell of alcohol and cheap cologne. 

“You know what I think ?”It was Porter coming toward her… “I think we beat the shit out of him and then make him watch us fuck the shit out of her…” Her throat went dry as she backed up.“Yeah…do her just like we did that little Native bitch…then we leave them both for the wolves…” In the blackness she felt her feet get tangled in the root of a tree as she fell backwards.A yelp escape her lips and the black silhouette lunged toward her grabbing onto her legs.Kicking she cried out as she scooted herself backwards on her ass toward where she thought the car was.Porter’s sick laughter filled the empty forest as she felt his dirty fingernails through her pants clawing at her.Her thoughts briefly flashed to Caleb standing over her laughing; the desolate desert stretched out behind him. 

“LUCY !!! GET OUT OF HERE !!” It was Tim. Snapping back to reality she began to kick wildly making contact with his face.She heard him howl in pain as she pushed herself to her feet and began to run. Behind her she heard the sounds of a fading struggle and her partner’s voice yelling after her.“RUN !!!…”.

**TBC….well there’s a cliffhanger.Next chapter obviously the climax of our story and then maybe another after that to wrap and an epilogue. I’ve had tons of fun writing this and thank you to my faithful readers for hanging in there as my inspiration has waxed and waned.Promise this wrap up will not be long and it will be worth it !! Thanks again and please review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie “Wind River”.Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women. 

**Chapter Ten**

The blackness of the Wyoming night stretched out endlessly in front of her as she gripped the wheel tighter.Her chest heaved in panic as she jerked the wheel to avoid colliding with a tree.Blinking her eyes, Lucy could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she tried to catch her breath.Behind her, the sounds of a struggle echoed in her mind as she floored the accelerator.In her haste to get away she had neglected to turn the headlights on as she chided herself silently.So stupid she was….flicking the switch the yellow glow illuminated the road in front of her just a moment too late as the right side of the SUV skimmed the side of a boulder causing a horrible scraping sound.Huffing she blew the hair out of her face as the trees parted and the road came into view. 

Bringing the car to stop she pulled out her cell phone. ‘No Service’ the white letters burned a hole in her heart as she felt panic well up inside of her.This was exactly what they didn’t want to happen and it happened…it _fucking happened._ Throwing the useless object against the windshield she felt a sob rise up in her throat as she raked her fingers through her hair.The feeling of that man clawing at her pants…latched onto her belt….raking his dirty hands all over her made her thighs shake uncontrollably.Leaning forward on the steering wheel she felt hot tears roll down her cheeks.Aside from her muted sobbing the car was quiet; the radio a soft hum of fuzz in the background. 

_‘No matter where you go I’ll always be with, Officer Chen’_ Caleb’s voice was so clear it was like he was there next to her. Absentmindedly she ran a hand up the side of her ribs lightly rubbing the raised skin just below her bra line.The buzz of the home made tattoo gun made her stomach clench as she heard him laughing. _‘I’m going to enjoy this…’._ Pinching her eyes shut gripped onto the steering wheel as her sobbing increased to the point of a pained scream. Uselessly she yanked on the metal as every frustration poured out of her.No matter what she did that man would always dog her; showing up at the most inopportune moments to completely derail her entire life.The turn signal clicked as she leaned her head forward feeling completely useless.Tim was probably dying right now and she was doing nothing to help him; sitting here no more than five mile away an emotional wreck when he needed her most. A sardonic laugh echoed in her ears as she could have sworn she felt cold hands wrap around her throat.Panic seized her entire being as she jumped from the car running backwards completely convinced that someone was in the backseat.Tripping over her own feet, she landed with a hard thud the wind knocked out of her as she stared up at what seemed like millions of glistening stars.Closing her eyes for a moment she took a deep breath; the jolt of hitting the ground seeming to momentarily reset the treadmill of anxiety she was trapped on. 

Lucy closed her eyes seeing only blackness instead of early morning sun, desert, and him….always him with that pretty boy turned American Psycho smile.When she opened her eyes she was met with the stillness of the prairieand the endless night sky.Propping herself up on her elbows she stared at the rental, the interior lights still on as the driver’s side door was hanging open.While she knew better, it was still reassuring to see the backseat empty. _He isn’t here…he’s can’t be here…._ Swallowing hard she pushed herself up brushing herself off as she climbed back into the car shutting the door.Hands on the wheel once more, her eyes were stinging something fierce from all that crying. The road in front of her was dark in both directions; to the left was Ft. Washakie and the Wind River Station; eyeing the clock she saw that it was after three in the morning.It was far…almost fifteen miles away and even if she made it there, she had no guarantee that she could find someone to help her.To the right was Wallace’s place; much closer….but he was supposed to be here tonight…where was he?Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel she felt another wave of panic crash over her.She didn’t have time for this….Looking down she saw the right turn signal had been inadvertently turned on.Swallowing hard she wondered if it was a sign.Exhaling she turned right. 

In LA it never got dark; not like this anyway.The road ahead of her revealed itself thirty feet at at time, beyond that it was blackness so dark and so deep that it seemed to have no beginning and no end.Looking down at the Odometer she had no other way to know how close she was to Big Sky Road and the turnoff that would take her to Wallace’s cabin.Nine miles….or she thought nine miles had ticked off since she made the decision to come this way.Gripping the wheel tighter she steeled herself; she could do this…she would do this.The car shook beneath her as she felt the wheel pull left sending her off the road.Slamming the brakes she sucked a gulp of air in sharply.In front of her, an old green sign was illuminated in the headlights…Big Sky Road. Opening the door Lucy got out, an ominous hissing sound coming from the other side of the car.Before she even looked she knew what it was.The yellow glow of the headlights cast an eerie light on her shaking frame as she peered around the passenger side the front tire completely flat and blowing air at an alarming rate.She stared it for a moment as the panic once again began to mount inside of her. 

Leaning her forearms on the warm hood she bent her head down; the dust the vehicle had kicked up forming a haze around her as it settled onto her boots.Her heart sank as she bit her lip to keep from crying.Tim was going to die.Not because they had gotten in over their heads, or because they didn’t see it coming, or even because they had decided to break all the rules and come here in the first place. No…Tim was going to die because she had failed.And not just failed like she usually did, in her mind where she dwelled in her anxieties and imperfections endlessly, but really failed like in your face, cold, hard, and real.Someone who meant so much to her…someone who found her…who _saved_ her just in the nick of time was going to die because she just couldn’t do it. Tears of anger spilled over as she slammed her fists on the hood of the SUV before turning and leaning against it. Crossing her arms over her chest Lucy pinched her eyes wincing at the pain that was about to come. 

Over the thundering of her own heart and ragged breathing she heard what she was sure were footsteps.Holding her breath for a second she paused trying to determine if what she was hearing was real or just in her mind.Crunch of dirt and gravel…she was sure she heard it.In one fluid motion she turned drawing the Glock that was still on her side.Without thinking she switched the gun mount flashlight…nothing…her stomach churned as she remembered it shattering on a rock.She exhaled a breathy, strangled sigh of terror as she realized she was truly alone out here this time.Moving out of the glow of her own headlights her eyes searched the darkness around her. 

Footsteps crunched in the dirt again as she turned in a complete circle trying to figure out which direction they were coming from.The terror inside of her mounting as her outstretched arms began to shake violently.Returning to the driver’s side of the car she took cover behind the open door.She didn’t know why…force of habit from taking cover there so many times before.Dropping to one knee she fought to get air into her lungs; the panic of the situation making her feel like she was drowning.Leaning against the door of the car she blinked for a moment trying to get a hold of herself.And then she heard it again someone right behind the car.Pushing herself to her feet she turned, swinging out wide bringing her gun level to what she thought was the dark outline of a man. 

“SHOW YOURSELF !! DO IT NOW !!!”Her finger was on the trigger ready to shoot whoever it was but the shadow didn’t move.“SHOW YOURSELF OR I WILL SHOOT YOU IN THE HEAD !!!!”

A sardonic laugh as the shadow stepped into the dim circle of illumination cast by her headlights.“ _Such bravado,Officer Chen_ !”Caleb…he was real…he was here.Bringing his own gun level with her head he smiled at her.“ _I don’t see that hot shot partner of yours…”_ He looked at her before looking around for dramatic effect.“ _Who’s going to save you this time…”_ Pinching her eyes shut she willed herself to stop seeing this.He wasn’t real…He wasn’t here…He was dead.When Lucy opened her eyes again he was gone.Exhaling she brought her trembling arms down letting the gun fall to her side. Lucy’s eyes scanned the darkness as an unsettled feeling came over her; the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.Feeling the hot, humidity of someone’s breath on her ear she whirled around coming face to face with the monster of her own mind.Her eyes widened as she was frozen in fear, _“You’ll never be rid of me, Officer Chen….I’ll always be right here…waiting…”_ He reached toward her but before he could grab a hold Lucy turned and began blindly running away from the direction she came.Behind her the dim glow of the headlights began to fade as Caleb’s evil laugh echoed across the desolate landscape. 

* * *

Leaning back in the chair Charlie Wallace took a long drag on his cigarette staring out into the blackness.Kicking his feet onto the porch railing he let his mind wander.Rolling the smoke around on his tongue before blowing it out he exhaled loudly.The winds across the prairie had shifted as a chill ran down his spine. 

Something was wrong…it had to be.He knew that Tim was hesitant, suspicious even.It was true that Wallace hadn’t told them everything, why should he ? These people were strangers.What he had told them, though, was all true, and more than he had ever told anyone else.Why had he done that…been so open with two strangers from LA ? He didn't know.He knew he was going to make this right for Christina and if letting two people he barely knew peer under the sordid covers of his life well then so be it.All he cared about was making that bastard pay for what he did.

Inhaling on the cigarette he drew the hot smoke deep into his lungs. The moment he saw her cold, dead body on that slab in Lander he knew that no one was going to do anything about this but him.Even in the meager lighting of the morgue he could see Bennett peering at him from the corner of his eye; trying to gauge how much trouble he was going to be.Stuffing his hands in his pockets he made a conscious effort to avoid looking at him. Let him wonder.The Chief was a good man but he was powerless and everyone knew it especially in the face of something like this. 

Pulling another drag, Wallace let his eyes drift close for a moment.Memory wandering back to the blood between his sister’s legs he winced. He wasn’t going to be able to let this go…or wait around for the FBI or whoever Bennett had to call.He was going to deal with this his way…the only way he knew how.Just like he had done with Mikey. 

_The trailer looked empty from the road but he knew that prick was in there.It took a while but he eventually found someone who told him where Mikey had been getting the meth.Lighting a cigarette he stared at the ramshackle dwelling.Piles of garbage littered the front yard; mostly appliances and vehicles stripped of anything worthwhile and long sold for the next high.Sam Whitehorse was a degenerate from a long line of degenerates that never did a single thing worth remembering.He remembered the kid from high school, same grade as Mikey, rarely showed up and when he did was tweaked out on something.Charlie couldn’t remember the two of them being particularly close, but then again everything had changed when he left for the Army.Swallowing the guilt back down he swung open the truck door throwing his half smoked cigarette to the ground, stamping it out._

_Standing straight up he felt the Tomahawk digging into his back.Reaching behind him he felt that the weapon was tucked safely into belt, just where he left it.A gun was for mowing down Hajiis at twenty yards away; this….this was personal.It wasn’t his expressed intention to go storming in there and kill Whitehorse on the spot, but if it came to that he wouldn’t mind.All life was not precious…..some people just didn’t deserve to live._

_Crossing the road he moved silently in the darkness.From the time he was a young boy, it had been ingrained in him that they always protect their own.Whitehorse didn’t kill Mikey himself; but he might as well have.His brother had once been full of life; two kids…two brothers they had been… racing their grandfather’s horses across the prairie bareback.They were warriors in those days; going on imagined buffalo hunts and defending their tribe against Sioux war parties.How Mikey…Mapiya; the sky itself….went from that to a shell of a man more in love with a pipe than his own family, Charlie could never know.What he did know was the man behind the pockmarked door he was about to kick in was the one responsible._

_In one swift motion his foot met with the beaten metal, all the memories of his past life evaporating in a cloud of anger.The trailer was quiet inside; an open fire burning in a trash can.All of the back windows were gone as cold air blew through the rancid structure.Tuning his senses to the environment around him, Wallace scanned for danger.Sure he could see and hear just as well as anyone else but his time in Afghanistan had cultivated a sixth sense inside of him.Danger…he could sense it before it was upon him.It wasn’t the anxiety that most people got or the unsettled feeling of hairs standing on end….oh no it was something else.It was the displacementof warmth around him, the vibration of another presence, the unseen force of evil disseminating itself into the very air he breathed.He coudn’t explain it but he felt it just like a dog’s whiskers twitched when the barometric pressure dropped; heralding a storm before the first dark cloud rolled over the mountain._

_Turning on his heel he came face to face with Whitehorse, shotgun out and squared on Wallace’s chest.The younger man whistled loudly, “Well…well the War Hero himself. To what do I owe this pleasure?” Wallace stood silently staring a him.He had nothing to say to the man; they both knew what he had done and the price that needed to be paid for it.Whitehorse swayed on his feet, eyes glassy; the gun held at his waist instead of up into his shoulder. Without so much as tell in his stance, Wallace closed the distance between them hands on the barrel of the shotgun before Whitehorse even knew he was there. Wrenching the weapon away he threw it aside as he gathered the surprised man around the throat pushing him into the wall so hard an involuntary gasp of air escaped his lungs.Glazed eyes bulged from his head as Wallace leaned in close to his ear._

_“Mikey was only twenty six years old when he blew his brains out….” Whitehorse stared at him unable to speak a word.“You know when I think about it I can still feel his blood hitting my face..”Letting go of the man’s neck he wound up punching him hard in the face causing him to fall into a crumpled heap on the floor.Standing over him, he stared down at the pathetic excuse for a human being wheezing and moaning like an animal.Turning away for a moment he felt the blind rage begin to wane as a profound sadness took its place.None of this would bring Mikey back.Behind him a taunting laugh as he turned around, quicker than he would have imagined Whitehorse reached behind his back producing a semi-automatic pistol.The tomahawk was already embedded in the man’s skull before Wallace was aware of what had happened.Whitehorse’s eyes rolled back into his head before closing, the pistol in his hand falling to the ground with a thud and a click.Staring at him for a moment he didn’t feel sorry. All life is not precious and this fucker deserved to die._

_A few days later Bennett showed up at his front door; with THAT look on his face.Wallace silently allowed him entrance as he noted the older man’s eyes perusing the various weapons on his living room wall.Most of them were items passed down from his grandfather and his grandfather before that.Smirking Wallace breezed through the back of the house toward the yard where he was digging a fire pit.A few moments later Bennett emerged, silently watching him, hands on his hips.The bright Wyoming sun casting dark shadows over the serious angles of his face.Wallace stopped digging for a moment as they stared at one another.Bennett was first to break silence._

_“Found Sam Whitehorse over at his place dead a few days ago….”Bennet let that hang in the air as Wallace stared at him for a moment before continuing to dig.The wind blew the tree tops gently as the birdsong was the only reply to that probing statement._

_After a moment Wallace exhaled a breath, “Is that right?”He didn’t look up a the Chief._

_“You wouldn’t know anything about that , eh?” Wallace slowed his digging as he stared at the dirt pretendingto think it over._

_Looking up he stared at the Chief blankly offering no reply as he leaned on the shovel.Bennett returned the stare before nodding seemingly to himself.Looking down he turned to leave without a word.Wallace was a trained killer with more tactical knowledge and skill than his entire department put together.What he did over there and what happened to him in that village was becoming an urban legend around the reservation.Casting one last glance over his should Bennett was met with an unflinching stare.Charlie Wallace was a good man, he had served his country and made something of himself in this God forsaken place.But he was a wild card; ready to avenge any wrongs done to him or his own in which ever way he saw fit. Laws…cops….and death itself be damned._

_Wallace watched him leave, a rift between the two men developing that would only widen over time._

Taking one last drag on his cigarette, Wallace flicked it over the rail pushing himself up to standing.Out of the corner of his eye he saw the outline of a shadow in the blackness coming toward him.Heavy breathing and frantic footsteps that got louder and louder.Reaching inside his front door he pulled out the shotgun he aways kept there.Bringing it level with the blackened figure he snapped the action closed staring down the barrel.In the meager ring of lighting that surrounded his house a woman appeared out of the shadows.Her long black hair was matted to her forehead with sweat as she held her hands up to show that she was unarmed. Wallace blinked; not quite believing what he was seeing. 

“Lucy?” Her legs stopped moving before her brain as she stumbled forward landing on her knees.Chest heaving for more air she let out a gasp as her palms hit the dirt.Five miles in the dark wilderness was nothing to sniff at and now that her surge of adrenaline had delivered her to her destination she couldn’t even remember how to speak.Wallace put the shotgun down crossing the front yard in two bounding steps as he cautiously knelt down in front of her.He had seen many a scared, cornered animal in his life and couldn’t help but to draw a comparison with the woman in front of him.Reaching out tentatively he touched her shoulder.“Lucy….are you hurt?” 

She spent the better part of five miles thinking that Caleb was chasing her; tripping over rocks and roots, bloodying both knees and palms.He was dead and she knew that but he had looked so real and she felt him…she felt his hot breath on her neck.That fact in itself was enough to make her take off and not look back convinced that if she stopped, he would catch her.Now here she was on Wallace’s front lawn completely out of control and with no reasonable explanation for any of it.Pinching her eyes shut for a moment she willed some shred of composure to return without any luck. 

In the dim light a look of knowing crossed Wallace’s face. Tim was in trouble; that much was evident the moment she came barreling out of the darkness.But there was more…something else was dogging her, making her irrational….panicked.Lucy was a cop and even thought he had no idea what kind of cop she was he could only assume that this was not the first time they had gotten jammed up into something dangerous.He looked at her there; a boat completely unmoored in a storm looking for something…anything to steady itself.Carefully Wallace pushed himself to standing.Lifting her up under the arms he helped Lucy to stand also.

She felt him lifting her up and instead of pulling away she found herself leaning into him.Wallace was a veritable stranger; they had only just met a few days ago.But despite that he had a quiet strength that Lucy had been immediately drawn to. The tallest fir in the forest; bending in a storm but never breaking.She felt his strong arm around her shoulders as her lungs filled with air for the first time in hours.They stayed that way for a few moments; the world spinning around them as they stood in silence. He didn’t rush the moment or attempt to prod the answer he surely wanted, he just stood there letting her lean into him until she steadied herself enough to go on.As her mind fell back into its usual logical cadence she wondered how he had known that was exactly what she needed when she hadn’t even known herself.

Straightening herself up, Wallace took that as his cue to back away as he provided her a measure of personal space to regain her composure, her dignity.Wiping the hair from her face, Lucy took a a steadying breath as she met his eyes for the first time. 

Swallowing hard she forced the words out of her mouth.“They have Tim.We need to go now…” Despite her relative composure she found her hands to be shaking with the last remnants of adrenaline as she clasped them together self consciously.She searched his eyes for a reaction but saw nothing except confusion. 

“Why did you go alone…” Lucy stared at him unsure of what he meant.Tim said that he called him, however, thinking back he never told her that Wallace was coming. She must have just assumed.Shaking her head she tried to make sense out of how such a simple plan had failed so badly. 

“Tim said he called you…he said…” Lucy stopped talking as Wallace averted his eyes to the ground.It was obvious to them both in that moment that Tim hadn’t called him at all.Lucy swallowed hard; concerned in equal measure that Tim had lied to her and that he saw a reason not to trust the man in front of her.Wallace eyed her carefully before turning his gaze away.The distrust left a bitter taste in his mouth although he couldn’t fault the man for trying to protect his own; God knows he had done plenty of that in his own life.Exhaling loudly Wallace put it all away; there was a mission to be undertaken and how he felt personally could wait. 

Shaking his head he started moving toward the house, “It doesn’t matter…let’s get going.”Lucy hesitated for a moment before nodding her head.Following Wallace through his house she checked, needlessly, for the Glock on hip once again.Still there; pursing her lips she let a breath of air escape as Wallace grabbed both an AR-15 and an Indian style Tomahawk off the wall.He cast her a momentary glance before moving out the back door and across the yard with an urgency that Lucy found reassuring.He stopped suddenly turning toward her as if a thought had suddenly struck him.“Have you ever ridden before ?” 

Lucy stared at him for a moment. It was then that it dawned on her that she hadn’t seen a vehicle out front or anywhere else for that matter. The galloping of hoofs brought her back into the moment as Wallace’s two horses appeared out of the darkness.Biting her lip, she looked away before hesitantly nodding. 

“I actually have…” Wallace stopped bridling the brown horse to turn and look at her.A nervous laugh escaped her lips. Feeling the need to validate herself Lucy put on a brave face when she felt anything but, “My parents are both shrinks….they worked at a residential treatment facility that had horses…I learned to ride as a kid.”It came out more as a question than statement.Stuffing her hands into her pockets she looked around hoping for something that clearly wasn’t there. “Don’t you have a truck ?”

Wallace laughed as his hands moved quickly attaching a sheath for his Tomahawk to the saddle on his own horse.“I gave it to Emily for the night….don’t want her catching rides out of that place anymore…”Lucy swallowed hard at the implication left unsaid. Peering over his shoulder toward her, Wallace quirked an eyebrow, “Don’t you have a rental ?”

Lucy looked away shaking her head slowly, “I got a flat a few miles back….”She chose to leave out the part about the ghost of Caleb chasing her across the prairie.Wallace looked at her as a dubious hum filled the air between them.When Lucy looked back up, her eyes landed on the black horse that was staring right back at her.Slowly approaching the fence she stared at the animal remembering what Wallace had told her and Tim earlier.The horse had a wild spirit, only letting those with a clear heart ride her.Reaching a tentative hand out she stroked the shiny black fur on the animal’s nose as misplaced confidence bubbled up inside of her. She could do this; she knew enough about riding and she could just put the feelings away. Right…just stuff them away somewhere until this whole mess was over.It was what she had done her entire life; filed and analyzed…it would be easy. 

“Ready to go?” Wallace finished securing the saddle to her horse as he moved to mount his own.Lucy hesitated for a moment before nodding. Stepping over the split rail fence she put one foot in the stirrup latching onto the saddle with shaking hands.Taking a deep breath she began to hoist herself up as the horse suddenly pulled away bucking her off. Lucy landed in the dirt flat on her back as she blinked in surprise staring up at the stars.The horse trotted around her neighing and whining.Pushing herself up she dusted her pants off looking at Wallace who sat atop his own mount, his unsurprised face etched with faint amusement. 

Pushing the hair out of her face, Lucy approached the horse again.“Think I just didn’t push up right…” Her voice trailed off as she realized Wallace wasn’t buying it for a second.Making a point to NOT look at him she placed her foot in the stirrup again.Before she could even grab a hold of the saddle the horse jerked.Seeing her demise, Lucy tried to remove her foot from the stirrup but she wasn’t fast enough as the animal took off trotting yanking her to the ground with a hard thud and dragging her along before she was able to wrench herself free.She lay there face down in the darkness for a moment; the cloud of dirt that had been kicked up by the horse settling finely over her. 

Panic began to well up in her.They didn’t have time for this bullshit.Pushing herself up she winced with pain. Why had she been so stupidto drive like an idiot…to get a flat…to take off running into the night….to actually think that a dead guy was chasing her? Tears stung her eyes as the black horse came to stand in front of her almost daring her to get on.From behind her she heard hoofs on the ground and she knew Wallace was staring at her waiting….

“Does it have a name ?” It sounded stupid when she said it out loud.

Wallace let out an amused laugh as she could feel him smirking into her back.. “Horse isn’t a pet….”Lucy turned around giving him a scowl as he rolled his eyes before adding, “Christina used to call her Asshole.” 

If the circumstances were different Lucy would have found her own measure of amusement in this but they weren’t.Approaching the horse she mumbled under her breath.“The name’s fitting…”. Grabbing the saddle with both hands she wrenched her grip down kicking a foot into the stirrup and swinging herself over at the same time.The horse moved but not before she was on it.A satisfied smile came to her face as she loosed her grip on the saddle about to reach for the reins when without warning the animal reared up and threw her off. 

She hit the ground hard causing a pain to radiate through her side.Tears came to her eyes as she felt a wave of uncontrolled anger crash over her.Pushing herself up she whirled around meeting Wallace’s hard gaze.“THIS IS BULLSHIT ! Tim is out there dying and you’re making me play some stupid fucking game !!” Wallace remained silent, resting his arms on the AR-15 across his saddle.Lucy took a breath as she turned in a circle raking an agitated hand through her hair.Shaking her head a rueful smile came to her face. “I thought you wanted to get these bastards….to make what happened to your sister right….to give them what they deserve !”

Wallace nodded solemnly, “I do.”She whirled around pointed an accusing finger at him.

“Well you aren’t acting like it….you aren’t acting like you want to do anything at all.You’re just sitting there watching me try to play with some crazy fucking horse !!!” He looked at her silently again as if he was looking right through her.Shaking her head she realized that she was getting no where.“You know what…forget it! I’ll do this myself…” Stalking back toward the house she was stopped by Wallace’s calm, even voice. 

“You know when I was in the Army….I was a Sergeant and I had my own squad of guys I had to look after.We went on a patrol and my lead scout got hit by a sniper.The rest of us retreated to figure out what to do next but a couple of the guys didn’t want to wait. Stalked off into the desert half cocked, bellies full of anger.They were gone before I could stop them..” He trailed off as she turned to meet his gaze.Shaking his head a familiar sadness overtook his features.“They never came back…” A heavy silence hung between them.Meeting her eyes his face was now marred with genuine concern.“Lucy….if getting to Tim was the only thing on your mind we would be there by now...”

She opened her mouth to speak but then shut it realizing that he was right. Without the ghost of Caleb stalking her every move she would have changed the tire like a normal person and they would have been there by now.Licking her lips she nodded in rueful understanding, “You’re right…” Exhaling loudly she snorted with obvious self loathing.“I’m screwing this all up and Tim’s going to die because of me…” She shook her head before looking down and then back up at his patient eyes.“He saved my life a few months ago…I didn’t tell you that.”Running a hand through her hair, the words came out of her mouth before she had time to think about it.“I went on a date with a guy I met in a bar.He seemed ok….” She met his gaze momentarily shrugging her shoulders.“He turned out to be a psychopath…..drugged and kidnapped me…threw me in a barrel and buried me alive.”Wallace exhaled, a cloud of something coming over his face that she couldn’t quite place.Anger….frustration maybe…unwilling resignation that there were more men in the world like Porter and Ferguson ready to take advantage of anyone who couldn’t fight them off.Tears spilled over Lucy’s cheeks as she was quick to wipe them away.“I held on for as long as I could but eventually all the air ran out and I passed out.Tim and some of the others from my stationwere out looking but they couldn’t find me….” She shook her head showing him that she placed no blame on anyone but herself.“The property itself was over a hundred acres…there were so many places to look.”Lucy paused looking down at her feet, her voice quiet when she spoke again.“But Tim….somehow Tim knew exactly where to look and he found me.I was dead but he found me.The last thing I remembered was closing my eyes knowing that was it….I had run out of time and I was so so sad in that moment.Just knowing all of the things I still wanted to do; all of the people I would be leaving behind.And I made as much peace with it as I could; you get what you get in life.What I got was all there was for me….”She was ashamed of how emotional she was telling him this but she couldn’t stop it.“The next thing I remember was the sun was shining and Tim was kneeling next to me with a look on his face I had never seen before…..But it didn’t matter because he was real and he was there and I was too.” 

Wallace adjusted himself atop the horse speaking with the same calm understanding she had come to expect from him.“You and Tim….your spirit is within one another.”She wiped her face as she stared at him unsure of what he meant but feeling the need to tell him more. 

“I don’t know…I just know that he knew where I was and without him I would be dead right now.And that’s what makes this even worse.When he needs me I’m not there….I can’t do what he did for me and I hate myself for it…” Her voice rose a few octaves as a cloud of anger came over her.Licking her lips she turned to him with fire in her eyes.“Do you know I had to stop not once but twice on the way here…Even though this prick Caleb is long dead…” Wallace didn’t need an explanation to know that Caleb was the psychopath in said conversation.“I still see him…I feel him…and he always shows up at the worst possible time.He dogs the shit out of me and I…” Tears of frustration streamed down her face as her hands formed angry little balls at her sides.“I’ll never be free of him…I’ll never live my life without him…I’ll ALWAYS see him or hear him or FEEL him right there…right THE FUCK BEHIND ME !!!” When she stopped talking her chest was heaving with raw emotion as she tried to catch her breath. 

“SO tell him to GET THE FUCK AWAY !!” His sudden outburst made her jump as she stared at him through glassy eyes.“Tell him ….GET THE FUCK AWAY CALEB !” 

Lucy’s lips twitched up in a smirk unsure of what to make of this.Wallace shook his head an earnest look on his face, “I’m serious…. I went down to that shit hole morgue in Lander and looked at Christina laying on that table and I wanted to tear the whole place up…I wanted to rage and scream and smash the doctor’s face off the cinder block wall for even having to nerve to tell me she had been raped…I wanted to kill all of them when I walked out of there.”Wallace’s horse started prancing back and forth sensing his suddenly heightened mood.“I”M FUCKING SICK OF LOSING PEOPLE !!!”He yelled, his voice carrying across the desolate prairie.“I HATE THOSE PRICKS FOR DOING THAT TO HER !!!”Lucy stared at him watching the raw emotion pour out of the man in a torrent.Gathering all the rage, the hate, the guilt, and the pain from deep inside of himself he screamed; every fiber of his being pouring into this act.She watched almost transfixed as her ears registered his voice echoing off the hills.When he was done his chest was heaving hungry for air as he looked at her, his eyes narrowed on her face.“What that prick did to you was wrong and he had no right…”

Lucy’s lower lip trembled as she fully realized, for the first time, how true that was.He had NO RIGHT.“He had no right.”She said it out loud without meaning to.

“NO….Let me hear you say that…Let EVERYONE hear you say that.” 

Steeling her self she raised her voice as high as she felt reasonable.“HE HAD NO RIGHT!” 

Wallace shook his head clearly not pleased, his horse trotting circles around her now.“You can do better than that…”.

“HE HAD NO RIGHT ! HE HAD NO RIGHT ! HE HAD NO RIGHT !”By the last repetition she was screaming her eyes closed and her head thrown back. 

“He’s dead….He can’t hurt you anymore.”She nodded gaze locked on his with intensity.

“HE CAN’T HURT ME ANYMORE! HE CAN’T HURT ME ANYMORE!” Her own voice reverberated in the trees as he nodded his approval. 

  
“Tell him to get the fuck away. This is your life…not his.” 

“It’s my life.IT’S MY LIFE !! IT’S MY FUCKING LIFE !!!” Sucking air into the deepest parts of herself Lucy pinched her eyes shut as she threw her head back screaming every last bit of anxiety, terror, and pain away as her echoing voice carried across the wide expanse in rolling waves .Doubling over she forced it all out with a shudder as she gasped for air.An unprecedented calm came over her as she felt truly empty of everything she didn't need for the first time in her life.All of the filing cabinets inside of her full of bottled, unaddressed emotions were thrown to the ground and shattered.All of the things she thought she had dealt with were finally felt.All the of the moments she worked so hard to keep away came out in a beautiful, messy torrent of raw humanity. 

Somewhere in the distance a lone wolf answered her primal scream with a howl of its own.The ghost of a smile played on Wallace’s lips as he nodded at her, respect evident in his features.Lucy’s own face broke in to a relieved smile as the black horse hesitantly trotted up next to her.Exhaling loudly she grabbed onto the saddle swinging her leg up and over.Much to her surprise the horse waited patiently; paying her the utmost respect for finally honoring what was truly in her heart. 

“Like I said she knows when you bring a clear heart and when you do not….”Lucy looked down at the animal nodding.Taking the reins she made a clicking sound as she nudged the belly of the horse with her heels.Galloping around a bit she felt like she had the hang of it again.

“Just like riding a bike…huh?” It was said more to herself than anyone else but Wallace heard nonetheless offering a chuckle of his own. Pausing for a moment he slid off his own mount unsheathing the Tomahawk from the saddle. 

“A gun is always needed, but for a mission like this you need something personal…” Lucy looked down as he passed her the Tomahawk.Looking the weapon over in the dim light she gripped it tightly, relishing in the solid way it sat in the palm of her hand.Meeting Wallace’s eyes she smiled.He offered her a smile of his own nodding toward the sheath on her saddle.“It was my grandfather’s….and his grandfather’s before that.It is a weapon for a true warrior.You are a warrior, Lucy Chen, whether you believe it or not.” 

She opened her mouth to say something to the contrary but then shut it reasoning that if he could have that much faith in her, she could at least try to believe it herself.Nodding seriously she met his eyes before looking away a sudden heart wrenching realization dawning on her.“What if he’s dead….what if we’re too late ?”

Wallace took a step back looking up at her.“Remember I said that you and Tim; your sprit is inside of one other.”She nodded hesitantly.“Close your eyes.”She did, not sure where this was going but wanting desperately to find out. “Tim is inside of you and you are inside of him; you have a sense of each other. That is how he found you in that desert.He is that sense of fullness in your heart….that buoyancy that keeps your head above water….he’s that great big gust of wind at your back pushing you forward…As long as you feel that he is still alive somewhere; waiting for you the same way you waited for him.”Listening to his words intently she licked her lips feeling that sense she had of Tim alive in her heart, the need and the want to get back to him knowing that he would be there waiting for her still burning fiercely inside of her.“When someone you love is gone that wind stops and all you feel is stillness.” Opening her eyes she met his gaze. When someone you love….she turned that over in her mind.Wallace smiled at her, his usual knowing smile.“If you didn’t love him you wouldn’t be out here with him…” She was silent; he wasn’t wrong.But if that was true this was a love she had never known before; a love that developed in the absence of everything she thought she knew of a relationship. Something deeper and more complex than anything she had ever experienced before. 

Nodding solemnly she put all that aside for now concentrating on what was most important.“He’s alive.I can feel it.” 

Mounting his own horse Wallace nodding toward the open range ahead of him; the first streaks of purple and gray cresting the horizon giving the inky black night the slightest bit of light.“Let’s go make this right then…”

* * *

Tim blinked the blood out of his eyes as he took a ragged breath in.Across from him Ferguson sat; an AR across his lap and Tim’s LAPD service piece tucked away in his belt.The man stared at him; his face twisted into a permanent snarl.Picking the carbine up he jammed the barrel into the air pointing it at Tim’s chest; his finger dancing precariously over the trigger. 

“I seen you before…back in LA.You’re a cop.”He said the last part like it was some grand discovery.Stuffing a cigarette into his mouth Ferguson momentarily forgot about the AR, removing his finger from the trigger and letting it slip to the floor.Tim let out the breath he had been painfully holding as he gave the bindings around his wrist another pull.They wouldn’t budge and for his fruitless struggle; he was rewarded with a searing sensation in the left side of his chest.A pained moan inadvertently escaped his lips as he pinched his eyes shut; the sticky blood making it hard to see. 

An amused smirk came to Ferguson’s lips as he nodded at Tim, “Ain’t so tough now, though.And ain’t nobody to call for back up….”Opening his eyes Tim stared at the man.Feeling the unspoken challenge Ferguson stood jamming the barrel of the AR in his chest again as he leaned in close to his face.Tim grimaced; the smell of rotting teeth nearly overpowering him.“You was with that blonde bitch…Isabel.” 

Anger flood through Tim as he sneered. “Don’t you say her name….” 

Ferguson laughed, eyes dancing with joy, thinking that he had the upper hand.“Yeah….Isabel….I fucked her so hard and then…” He didn’t finish before Tim spit right in his face. Blinking, a moment of surprise registered before the man brought the rifle back hitting Tim across with face with barrel so hard blood squirted out of his mouth and hit the wall. 

“That’s enough…” Porter appeared from the back room holding a wet rag against the gash in his head.Tim’s vision was blurry as he struggled to focus.Jabbing a finger in the air at Tim he shook his head.“You kill him and the gates of hell are going to open…”

Ferguson took a step back looking at his cousin like a petulant child.“Oh come on now….we can dump him just as easily as we did that native bitch.” 

Porter turned to look at him like he was stupid.“He’s a cop, Joey.A cop from LA.Wagon Burner Bennett won’t do shit but you better believe every cop in LA will be up our ass….FBI and all kind of shit.Killin’ an Indian girl ain’t nothing…nobody miss her or even know she’s gone…” Tim felt anger build inside of him as his chest heaved.“But killin’ a cop….that gets you something else.”Pulling the rag off his forehead Porter looked at his cousin seriously,“That gets you San Quentin….Leavenworth….the fucking needle.”Ferguson hesitated before winding up again as Porter wandered over to the window.“JESUS FUCK !!” 

Before he could utter another word the crack of a rifle and the window shattered; the bullet missing his head by only an inch.Turning, he bolted toward the back hallway of the trailer as Ferguson stood frozen the AR shaking in his hands. Through the shattered window Tim caught movement on the front porch. Someone was here….Ferguson seeing the same abruptly turned his own rifle pointing it at Tim point blank.Before he could react the man squeezed the trigger.Nothing happened; bringing the gun up he looked at the weapon in betrayal.It was then that Tim realized the stupid bastard hadn’t taken the safety off.Bringing his right leg up as high as he could he kicked Ferguson hard, sending the man off balance and Tim, chair and all, toppling sideways to the floor.The door burst open as Wallace appeared, Lucy behind him.Struggling to his feet Ferguson ran toward the back following Porter’s lead.Tim heard a pop as his ears began ringing and then a glorious howl of pain.Wallace had hit Ferguson in the leg; the man falling into a heap only to push himself up again holding his wound. 

Wallace stopped for a moment looking down at Tim on the floor. “You good?”Tim was far from good but he was alive and that was all that mattered.He nodded at the other man as Wallace stalked toward the back of the trailer.Lucy dropped to her knees in from of him quickly untying his hands and untangling him from the chair without a word.For his part, Tim put on a brave face despite the throbbing pain in his chest.Wallace reappeared from the back, a deadly look on his face.“They crawled out a window…I’m going after them.”Without another word he left the trailer, intent on carrying out his own vendettaand trusting that Lucy and Tim would handle their own business. 

Lucy turned back to Tim, “You need an ambulance…” A strangled laugh escaped Tim’s lips. 

“I can wait…” Helping him up she took him over to the couch sitting him down as he looked at her seriously.“Go get him…”.

Lucy swallowed hard.“And if I can’t bring him back alive…”.

Tim leaned forward reaching out to touch her face gently as she knelt in front of him.“I don’t care what you have to do….just make sure you come back to me.” Nodding hesitantly she offered him the ghost of a reassuring smile.Returning the smile Tim leaned forward meeting her lips in a hesitant kiss that she found herself returning without question.She tasted blood and sweat as a raw determination filled her. 

Standing up she nodded at him as she left the trailer without another word.Wallace galloped past her on his horse as her eyes landed on Porter running across the wide open prairie toward the thick wilderness of the Absaroka range. Scanning the immediate area she saw Ferguson limping in the same direction, disappearing over a small hillside.Leaving the horse she jogged after him, sure that his injury would slow him considerably. 

Dawn had broken in thick streaks of gray and purple as the Wyoming landscape was illuminated in a hazy, gray light.A cold wind blew Lucy’s hair across her face as she stalked Ferguson like he had stalked so many others.It felt good to be the hunter instead of the hunted.Cresting the hillside she saw him limping into the wide crystal blue tributary that fed icy mountain water into the larger Wind River.She didn’t bother with commands as she drew her weapon stepping into the stream right behind him.The bone chilling water filled her boots and lapped against her calfs as she moved carefully.

Ferguson stopped knowing that she had him and there was no where to go.“Turn around…”Grinding the words out she stopped, water rushing between her legs as she held herself steady.Still holding the back of his right leg, Ferguson inched himself in a circle so that he was now facing her and the barrel of her gun.Breathing heavily she stared at him in disgust.“Get down on your knees…”. Ferguson complied as he dropped into the water gasping as it rushed around his waist. 

Lucy was frankly surprised that he wasn’t trying to fight her as she took a step forward. She felt her weight shift as a slippery rock betrayed her sending her backwards hitting the water with a splash, a startled scream coming from her lips. 

Tim heard Lucy scream as he drug himself from the couch and out the front door of the trailer bracing himself against the pain in his chest.Eyes scanning the outdoor he saw Wallace galloping at full speed after Porter who was running as fast as humanly possible toward the tree line.He didn’t see her but he did see the black horse still with a Tomahawk sheathed in its saddle.Falling down the steps of the traile,r Tim howled in pain as he hit the ground. Wheezing he could get no air into his lungs as he crawled on his hands and knees toward the black horse. 

Wallace heard nothing but the pounding hooves of his horse and the rush of blood in his his ears.Closing in on Porter he rode right next to the running man reaching down and grabbing him around at the neck lifting him up.He tightened his shaking bicep around the man’s throat before throwing him to the ground.Pulling back on the reigns of his horse Wallace circled the wheezing pathetic excuse for a human being on the ground before sliding off the animal, leaving the AR secured to the saddle and instead pulling his Army trench knife from his belt.This one was personal.

Tim heard a howl of agony as he forced his legs to move faster.Tripping he reached the black horse tied to a tree; wheezing for air he untied the knot quickly as his vision flashed black to white.Feeling the overwhelming pull of darkness, Tim leaned against the tree sliding down and falling unconscious.

Lucy felt her head make a crack against a rock as her vision got hazy for a moment.Fighting, she refused to give into the sweeping wave of unconsciousness pulling her under.She would die; there was no question.Seeing his opportunity, Ferguson lunged toward her splashing water in her face as she choked. She felt his hand on her chest holding her down as he clawed at the iron grip she held on her gun.When she wouldn’t release it he wound up punching her in the face as hard as he could.Lucy felt pain radiate through her cheek as she gasped.She couldn’t let him get her gun; no matter what she couldn’t let him get it.Cocking her right shoulder back she flung the weapon as hard as she could hearing it land in the water with a plunk.He wasn’t getting that gun….First thing they taught them in the academy; you die protecting your gun.

Looking over his shoulder at the rushing water Ferguson laughed an evil laugh, “You stupid bitch.”Grabbing Lucy by the shoulders he flipped her over so that she was face down in the water.Ferguson smashed her head off a rock as she felt a radiating pain and burning that she could only assume was a wide open gash.Panic began to grow inside of her as she felt her lungs compress around what little air was left in them.Struggling she pushed against him, her body spasming in its need of air.Lucy’s mind flashed back to the barrel… to Caleb… to everything she thought she had forced out of herself.He couldn’t control her…this was her life and she was going to fight for it. 

Shaking the memory loose her fingers searched the creek bed for something, anything.Fingers curling around a flat, sharp rock she reared her leg as hard as she could into Ferguson’s groin causing him to stumble backwards with a gasp of pain.Pushing herself up she coughed, blood and water running down her face.Before Ferguson could gain the upper hand again she swung her arm ferociously, dragging the sharp rock across his face filleting his cheek and forehead open in one swift stroke. 

Ferguson reached up feeling the skin hanging off of him as he charged toward her knocking her onto her ass with a yelp of surprise.This was it….this was the moment where she needed to fight for her life.Water splashed as they rolled back and forth, Ferguson yanking her by the hair as she struggled to wrap her fingers around his throat.Seeing her intention he punched her hard causing Lucy to loosen her grasp and fall back into the water with a splash.Laughing to himself he came to straddle her, grabbing her by the neck and pushing her down under the water so that her face was entirely submerged.Involuntarily she bucked underneath him, desperate for air. 

Lucy blinked under the water her black hair forming a cloud around her face as she saw Ferguson’s face looking down at her.The sneer on his lips moved and shifted with the current as she felt her lungs begin to burn.Reaching up she clawed at his hands unwilling to believe that this was it.The rushing of the stream in her ears was suddenly interrupted by a rhythmic pounding.Ferguson’s grasp loosened as his attention was diverted.Lucy didn’t know whathad happened but she knew this was her last chance to survive.Using every last bit of strength she had, she pushed herself up just as the black horse, HER horse, reared up in front of Ferguson causing the man to stumble backwards.Blood ran down her face and into her eyes as she turned, suddenly remembering the Tomahawk still secured to the animal’s saddle. Water sloshed as she ran to the horse’s side, her feet slipping on rocks underneath. She didn’t give up though, focusing on the weapon with superhuman intensity.Ferguson, seeing her intention, charged toward her.Lucy heard him coming as she gasped for air her hands shaking as she grippedthe weapon. 

Living…surviving this…it was the only thing on her mind a she cocked her right shoulder back turning and embedding the weapon into Ferguson’s chest. 

He stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes widened.A gurgling sound emitted from the deepest part of his chest as he wheezed for air, their eyes meeting.On stilted legs he took one step forward and then another reaching out, the Tomahawk still embedded in his chest.Lucy didn’t look away, she didn’t flinch or waver. The black horse had trotted away as the two of them stood there squared off, the stream now tinged red rushing between their legs.Ferguson’s hand clamped down on her shoulder as he gasped his last breath, eyes rolling back into his head before crumpling toward her.Blood still running down her face; Lucy shrugged his hand away as he fell with a splash in front her.

Looking up her eyes met Wallace’s as he galloped into the creek.Looking down at Ferguson with the Tomahawk embedded in his chest he look back at Lucy who gave him the barest of nods.Throwing his head back he let out a warrior yell that echoed in the early morning light just as it echoed in the deepest parts of her heart.

**TBC…**

**Well there it is. The penultimate chapter of this fic.Thanks for sticking around everybody, and waiting this one out.I know this chapter didn’t have a lot of Tim and Lucy but this story was all about Lucy’s redemption and her own journey to find the strength inside of her.Yes, Isabel was Tim’s fight but from the start Lucy was destined to be the hero.I love writing strong, capable women and I loved writing this.Thanks to everyone for reading and if you can please leave a note to let me know what you think !**

**One more Wyoming Chapter to wrap up and then an Epilogue back in LA.Stay tuned !!!**


	11. Chapter 11

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie “Wind River”.Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women. 

**Chapter Eleven**

Lucy quietly adjusted herself in the chair careful not to disturb Tim, who was sleeping just feet away.Every hospital, no matter where, was exactly the same; white walls, endless drab corridors, and an antiseptic smell that burned the nose.Staring blankly at the dated Zenith’s black screen she averted her gaze out the window.In the setting sun, Fort Washakie seemed almost idyllic; a western outpost in a sea of windswept prairie.A light came on here and there, proof of life in this place where death was always in the shadows. 

Slouching down in the chair, she let a measured breath escape her lips.Her head was throbbing; eight stitches in the gash on her forehead and what felt like a hundred bumps and bruises.Eyes wandering to her partner, she watched as his chest steadily rose and fell in the waning daylight.A concussion, a few broken ribs, stitches across his cheek and down the side of his forehead. Lucy sighed; it could have been worse....a lot worse.Despite his vocal protesting; the doctor in the ER recommended that Tim stay the night upstairs, just for observation....just to be safe.His pragmatic smile and sound voice of reason had clearly been used in the past to defuse other surly patients who didn’t know what was good for them.Finally after hemming and hawing, he agreed to one night and one night only.Lucy felt a sigh of relief escape her lips as they wheeled him to a room.She had done all that she could do; and he was going to be alright, they were both going to be alright.Allowing her eyes to slip closed she exhaled slowly, seeing blackness and allowing herself to fully relax for the first time in months. 

The first sensation that came back to Tim was aching pain in his chest.Blinking he saw an old tile ceiling and a dated white room with pink trim.For a moment he had no idea where he was.Turning his head to the side he saw his partner sitting in the chair, her eyes closed and her breathing slow and regular.Her face was bruised and in a moment he remembered all of it. The casino, the woods, the trailer, and everything that came after.He lay there staring at her, not having had much opportunity to really look at her.She was beautiful, that he knew from the day they met, but she was more than that. She was strong and brave….no.. brave was for kids…she was a warrior.No matter how high the deck was stacked against her, she never stopped fighting.She wasn’t perfect, no one was, and he knew that she struggled like anyone else but she never gave up. 

A soft smile came to Tim’s lips as he stared at her in the last light of day.This was his vendetta, coming here to Wyoming to find justice for Isabel, she had just come to back him up.And yet somehow he thought that maybe she needed this more than him. He didn’t plan for things to go as wrong as they had and he certainly never wanted her to have to finish this, but before they even left LA he knew that she could do it…if it came to that…she could do it.Despite all the taunting and silliness of his “Tim Tests” throughout her probation he knew, deep in his bones, that she was going to be a good cop….a great cop.And she had something that couldn’t be taught, she was willing to fight for what she believed in, didn’t matter how long or how hard. She had no quit in her. 

And now she knew that too. Beyond any shadow of a doubt ,she knew that.After everything with that prick Caleb, he saw a hesitancy in her that hadn’t been there before.An unsureness that was so unlike her, it actually scared him.He wanted to scream at her, make her do push ups until she snapped out of it. But then he remembered…it had been her who wasn’t sure about Caleb in the first place and he who pushed her right into that psycho’s arms.What she was now…it was no one’s fault but his own. 

He didn’t bring her here for anything more than to back him up.He never intended for her to get her hands dirty.Never wanted for her to bear the burden of taking someone’s life in cold blood.He’d been there before, it was no place to go if you didn’t have to.But sometimes a situation goes sideways.As they fought in the dark with those two drunk assholes, only one thought crossed his mind. If there was a chance that one of them could survive this, he would make sure that it was Lucy. No question.He promised her that what happened in that barrel would never happen again. And it wouldn’t.Even if it meant he paid the price with his own life.He was ready to do that.Everything that happened after that….well it was a result of that moment. 

Their lives were imperfect and sometimes things just didn’t work out.Just the way it was.And sometimes instead of getting what you want, you got something else.Not better or worse just different. Lucy didn’t need him or anyone else to save her.She was powerful in her own rite and he always knew that…always believed that.Now she knew that for herself; fighting for her life and getting to walk away with it because of that.

Stirring in the chair Lucy’s eyes fluttered open.She scanned the room before meeting his gaze, a soft smile on her lips.“Hey…” The room was nearly dark now.The corners of Tim’s mouth twitched as he pushed himself up in the bed careful not to look too miserable for her benefit.Scooting over, he made some room flashing her a hopeful look.Lucy looked down to her lap before slowly getting out of the chair and sitting her right hip on the edge of the bed angling the rest of her body into his. 

Gritting his teeth he lifted his arm feeling a stretching sensation in his chest.Exhaling, he gently wrapped her into his side as their bruised faces came to rest against one another. Tim’s eyes drifted shut for a moment inhaling deeply as he turned placing a light kiss against her temple.Without thinkingLucy curled herself into him.This felt so natural it was almost scary, like it was always meant to be.Swallowing hard, Lucy exhaled before speaking.

“I know how important this was to you…I’m sorry that it worked out the way the way it did.” Tim’s eyes opened as he stared at the wall blankly before casting a glance in her direction.He couldn't see her face and she couldn't see his, they were too close.Exhaling Tim shook his head slightly.

“I came here because I was angry.Angry with Ferguson for what he had done to her, angry with Isabel for what she had become, and angry with myself for not protecting her….”Lucy was silent as she felt his hand absentmindedly run through her hair.He paused for a moment as the room fell quiet. “But I missed the point….Isabel was a person, who made a mistake, but she was still a person.”His voice faltered for a moment, “And I loved her…and what happened to her shouldn’t happen to anyone. But it does because there are other men out there like Joey Ferguson….and I can't stop them all even though I want to.”At the sound of raw emotion in his voice, Lucy felt tears in her own eyes.Reaching up, she rested a steady hand on his chest feeling a ragged exhalation beneath her fingertips.“And I can’t believe I had to come all this way just to remember who she was….I thought I knew….but in all the pain and hurt of her addiction I let myself forget.” 

Lucy’s voice came out low and just above a whisper but he heard her.“It’s easy to forget who we are sometimes….especially when it’s too painful to remember.” 

A silent understanding passed between them as he held her close letting his eyes drift shut. 

* * *

Lucy’s hair blew in the wind as the sun crested the mountains. Chief Bennett had given her a lift back to the rental and and helped to change the tire.As it would turn out, the creek where she had killed Ferguson was part of the reservation and not federal land.That meant it was Bennett’s investigation and as far as he was concerned it was a simple case of self defense. 

Their time here in Wyoming was almost over and part of Lucy was almost reluctant to go back.This place made her feel free in a way that LA never could.She had found a way to be true to herself here and she didn’t want to lose that.Lucy also knew that the things going on between her and Tim would need to stop once they got home. Her partner was nothing if not professional and he took his duties as a TO very seriously. She just hoped that it wouldn't stop forever.That what they felt here wasn’t just a byproduct of an extremely emotional situation. 

Slowing the rental in front of a familiar log cabin, she put the SUV into park before sliding out. Taking a deep breath she walked up to the front porch and peered inside the house seeing no one.The cool wind blew her hair around her face as she stuffed her hands into her back pockets stepping off the porch and walking around the cabin.As expected she found Wallace sitting next to the fire staring out at the endless prairie behind his house.He didn’t turn to look a her, although he knew she was there.Silently Lucy took a seat as she looked between him and the vista in front of them.

Wallace shook his head, the corners of his lips pulled downward.“I thought….I thought I would feel better.That killing him would make this right somehow….” He trailed off, his elbows resting on his knees as he stared into the fire.“But it didn’t bring her back….” Quietly he added, “Nothing can do that.”Lucy was silent, there was nothing she could say right now that would matter.Nothing that would change this moment.So she stayed quiet, hoping that her mere presence offered some measure of comfort. 

Lucy had come here one last time to say good bye.She and Tim were flying back to LA tonight.The only left to do was pick Tim up at the hospital and make the long drive to Casper.She couldn’t leave, though, without somehow telling Wallace how much what he did last night meant to her. Not for backing her up and helping to save Tim, but for creating that moment….that singular moment where she truly felt free for the first time in her life. 

Poking at the logs Wallace stood up brushing his pants off as he met her eyes for the first time.“Want to go for one last ride?”

A smile broke out across Lucy’s face as she nodded.“I would like that.” 

Riding a horse, she found, was like riding a bike.You never forgot.Last night she had been all hopped up on adrenaline and honestly didn’t remember much about riding the horse. Today was different, she memorized everything about how the animal felt underneath her as they galloped across the prairie.Brown and yellow scrub grass faded to tall, lush greenery as they ventured into the mountains.The sun shone brightly as high clouds cast momentary shadows across the desolate landscape.She didn’t care how far they were going or how long it would take, for now she was just content to be in this moment. 

When Wallace finally slowed his own horse to a stop she turned to take in a breathtaking view.A high meadow with wild flowers of every color that overlooked the mighty Wind River below.Dismounting, she held onto the reins as she took a few steps, not quite believing her eyes.This was a post card and she was in it.Wallace came to stand next to her.“My grandfather brought me here as a kid…he said this place made him feel close to God…” Lucy glanced at him for a moment before shaking her head. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as beautiful as this…”Wallace nodded silently an easy smile breaking over is normally serious face. 

“I come here when I want to be close to him….close to this land and our people….close to God.”Gesturing to a spot near the overlook he continued, “Come…let’s sit for a while.” 

Taking both of the horses he tied them to a shady evergreen.Together they sat on the ground as Wallace started a small fire.For a while they didn’t talk, neither of them finding a need to fill the moment with unnecessary words.Finally it was Wallace who broke the silence.“There is an ancient Arapaho Tradition called smudging…it is said to cleanse a person of any unwanted or negative energy.” Placing a dried roll of sage into the fire, Wallace watched as it caught.He stared at it as it began to burn, “Burning white sage is said to be a scared act.” Lucy watched as he blew the bundle out.The smoke coming from it smelled earthy and pleasant as she let her eyes drift shut trying to just exist. 

The ground beneath her was solid as she felt a connection to the earth and all the people who had ever walked this land.The wind was cool sliding over her face and though her hair blowing it side to side.Letting all the air out of her lungs she heard the fire and the the wind in the tree tops, she heard the grass swaying and the wildflowers bending.In that moment she even thought she heard the clouds moving in the sky, chasing one another past the sun.It was the deepest mediative state she had ever known and it was only possible because she had learned to open her heart and not live beyond the present. 

Wallace began to speak and although she couldn’t understand a thing he said she knew he was praying.Instead of searching for meaning in his words, she listened to the cadence of his voice and the intricacies of a forgotten language. Inhaling the burning sage deeply she thought of nothing but the moment and the almost intoxicating connection she felt with the earth. 

When he stopped speaking she opened her eyes meeting his placid gaze.“That was beautiful.”Her voice sounded thick and foreign.She hadn’t spoken but a few sentences since she arrived at his cabin.It was strange what one could hear when they truly listened. 

Wallace nodded as he snuffed the sage out on the ground.“It is an Arapaho prayer for peace.I prayed for you and Tim and for myself to somehow go forward from this moment in peace.”Rising to his feet he looked at the sun over head. “We should get going…”Lucy was reluctant to leave but she knew that he was right. As they walked to their horses she took one last look over her shoulder.Turning back she noticed a smirk on Wallace’s face.

“What?”

Untying the horses he handed her the reigns to her own mount. “I don’t think you’ll be seeing anymore of Caleb either…”He trailed off looking decidedly amused. 

Lucy was intrigued as she cocked her head raising an eyebrow.“Oh yeah…Why’s that?” 

Wallace laughed a little.“Well I added a little something….”He met her gaze and for the first time she saw a playfulness behind his piercing brown eyes.“I prayed that all the Arapaho warriors that have gone on from this world would protect you from above…that they would guide you on the streets and keep you from any harm.” 

The thought of prep school pussy Caleb taking on a whole band of armed warriors brought a smile to her face that quickly faded into sincerity.“Why would they look after me…I’m not Arapaho.You said that your people take care of their own.” 

Wallace looked at her before averting his eyes and busying his hands with saddle on his horse. “I may have lost a sister but…” He met her eyes as she looked at him feeling suddenly emotional.“I found another in you…..Kiyaya.” 

Lucy exhaled a shaky breath feeling overwhelmed with something she didn’t yet understand.When she spoke her voice was breathless, “What does that mean?”

Mounting his horse, Wallace gave her a knowing smile.“Howling Wolf….your Arapaho name.A name fit for a warrior.”Lucy was speechless as she remembered forcing everything out of herself last night in a primal yell that had been answered by a lone howling wolf.Not waiting for a reply he began trotting down the mountain. 

Lucy didn’t remember much about the ride back, only feeling an ache in her heart that she would undoubtedly miss this place beyond words.When they finally got to the cabin, the sun was high in the sky as Lucy knew her time here was over.Dismounting the black horse she lingered next to it for a moment rubbing its nose and stroking its silky coat.Following Wallace through the house she stopped just shy of the door in front of the family photos he kept there. 

“You never told me what your name was…your Arapaho name.”Leaning against door frame he crossed his arms over his chest. 

“It’s Cheveyo….it means spirit warrior.”Lucy stared at him for a moment before repeating the name, allowing the syllables to roll off her tongue. 

  
“I couldn’t imagine anything else…” Nodding he ducked his head almost as if embarrassed.Exhaling Lucy shook her head, “Well I guess this is it…”

Nodding, Wallace forced a smile.Without thinking, Lucy took two steps toward him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. For his part Wallace returned the embrace allowing his eyes to drift closed in the comfort of human contact for just a moment. 

When she spoke her voice was barely above a whisper. “Thank you….Thank you for everything.” He didn’t reply and he didn’t need to.They stayed that way for a few more moments before letting go, Lucy swiping at her cheeks with the back of her coat sleeve.Turning she took a step toward the door, not wanting to make this any harder than it already was. 

“Wait..I have something for you.”Disappearing around the corner he quickly returned with a small Tomahawk.It was similar to the one she had used before, the one that was now, regrettably, property of the Wind River Police Department.This Tomahawk had a white handle and was adored with beads, feathers, and had a small wolf charm hanging from the handle.Lucy looked at it in awe.

“I can’t take this…”

Shaking his head Wallace pushed it back toward her, “No…I want you to have it.So that you never forget that you are a true warrior….”

Looking down at the weapon in her hand she nodded. “Thank you… I will never forget you or this place.” 

Forcing a sad smile Wallace nodded, “We will always be connected…in this life and in the next.” 

* * *

Lucy stood at the departures counter staring at the marquee. _United 785 Casper to LAX…departure 0700 PM._ Looking down at her watch she saw that they still had an hour. It was hard to believe that they had only gotten to Wyoming five days ago….so much had happened in that time it felt they had been here for a year.Looking down she knew her life wasn’t here, but she would be eternally grateful for what this place showed her ABOUT her life.That she was strong and powerful and that she didn’t need anyone to save her. That it was ok to scream and yell and howl at moon if that’s what it took for feelings to truly be felt.And that in the most unlikely of places under the most desperate of circumstances someone can change your life for the better. 

She would never forget Charlie Wallace.It would be impossible.Nor would she ever forget Chief Bennett, Christina, Mikey, or Emily….or their stories of hope, loss, and survival in this unforgiving place.

“All set…” Looking up she saw Tim walk toward her with Hertz folder. Grimacing Lucy’s shoulders slumped.

“Were they pissed about the tire?”Shaking his head he slid the paperwork into his backpack.

“They don’t give a shit….Gray might…when he sees the bill…but they don’t.” Lucy exhaled in no particular hurry to go back and face that music.Casually Tim put his arm around her shoulders as they began to walk toward the terminal.

“Tim! Lucy!”Turning together they were surprised to see Chief Bennett walking through the glass doors.He looked, almost out of place in such a modern and urban like setting. 

“Chief?”Lucy had handled all the necessary paperwork and statement giving about what happened and the Chief had already assured her the case was closed.Still, seeing him here so suddenly caused a bubble of fear to rise in her throat.

Seeing the apprehension on both of their faces the Chief was quick to offer an apologetic smile.“I’m sorry…I just wanted to catch you before you left…” Taking a breath he looked at their expectant faces.“Every year the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Wyoming has a town hall meeting with state and local politicians about these drilling and fracking sites…most of the time it’s environmental freaks and tree hugging weirdos…” Tim smirked, in another life and time, he would have loved to have worked with Bennett on the streets of LA.“I usually don’t go; as you might imagine my concerns about the inability to police these sites and the type of perverts they attract usually fall on deaf ears.”He paused for a moment licking his lips, “This year I wanted to tell them about Christina….and with your permission I would also like to tell them about Isabel.”Lucy shot a glance at Tim suddenly feeling the air become thick.

Tim swallowed hard.It was the first time anyone who had never met Isabel said her name out loud.She meant something, her life and her death meant something. What happened to her, that God Forsaken image he had of her in that alleyway, it didn’t have to be for nothing.Her story and what that man did to her could change something.Maybe not something big but something.Even though Isabel could not have looked more different from Christina, they had so much in common. Two women looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places, two women who were lost, and two women who met terrible violent and tragic ends that they didn’t deserve. 

“That would be fine, Chief.And let me know if I can help in any way.”Bennett was silent as the two men exchanged a knowing glance between them. Reaching out Bennett shook both Tim and Lucy’s hands as he offered them a warm smile.

“Good luck to both of you….and safe travels.”Turning to leave they were stopped short by the Chief’s voice.“Oh and Tim….”Looking back toward the Chief, Tim reacted quickly to catch something flying through the air toward him.Staring at his hand he saw what looked like a fang attached to a simple leather cord with two beads and a small feather.It was a tooth from the wolf he killed that day on the prairie. Bennett let out a low laugh as he shook his head.“Told you I’d get you a souvenir to take back to LA….and it will be great to scare the kids with…”

A wide grin broke out over Tim’s face; as he already began weaving a fantastical tale for his next boot. 

Seeing this, Lucy rolled her eyes dramatically… “Oh Chief…he needs no help doing that..” 

Bennett chuckled as he began to back toward the door.“Take care…my door is always open for both of you.”Throwing his hands in the air he raised his eyebrows playfully, “And I’m always hiring…”

Both Tim and Lucy laughed at that before bidding their final farewell to the Chief and headed down the concourse.Turning back once more Lucy saw those blue hued peaks and endless sky…she would miss this place. 

* * *

The flight back to LA went without incident as the drama of their inbound trip did not repeat itself.Their bruised faces received a pause and a long glance from the flight attendant but nothing more.Stepping between the jet bridge and the plane Lucy was immediately greeted with the warm air, aggressive honking on the freeway, and the smell of exhaust. They were home.

Just as he had dropped her off, Jackson was waiting at the end of the terminal to pick her up.Coming around the corner, Tim saw the rookie bent over his phone not paying attention as his fingers snapped up and grabbed Lucy by the elbow pulling her behind a wall.For a moment they were silent, each willing the other to speak.This conversation, in some form, was inevitable.He was her TO….she was his rookie.

“Lucy….” 

Shaking her head she wanted to beat him to the punch.It would hurt less if she heard herself say it.“No…Tim…I get it.What happened between us there can’t happen anymore.” Looking down she added quietly. “It should have never happened in the first place.” Her eyebrows knit together as she willed herself not to cry in front of him.

He was quiet for a moment and while she initially didn’t want to hear him say those words, she also didn’t want him to say nothing at all.Swallowing audibly he shook his head, “Is that what you want to do?” 

Lucy shrugged, clearly feeling powerless in this situation.Biting her lip she answered quietly, “No.”

The corners of Tim’s lips tugged upwards as he spoke.“Lucy…you are amazing in every definition of the word. You are one of the most incredible women I have ever known.Nothing in this world keeps you down…no matter what…the deck can be completely stacked against you but you never stop fighting….”Her eyes slowly rose to meet his own.“And I won’t let anything get in the way of you becoming a great cop….not even me.”She opened her mouth to protest as he held a hand up.“You have something that can’t be taught…can’t be learned…it just is.What you did in the river up there…that’s a warrior….you don’t become that, you just are.And I couldn’t be more proud of you if I tried.” 

Lucy felt her cheeks flush as she shook her head.Never in her life could she have imagined this at the start of her probation.“Tim…I…”

Again he cut her off, slightly amused with the exasperation on her face.“I can’t deny what I feel for you…and I don’t want to.But I won’t let it get in the way of you becoming what you were always destined to be.So…for now this is on hold…after your probation is over…that’s a different story…but for now…”

“Tim !” Nearly yelling his name she was finally able to successfully interrupt him. 

“What ?” Without hesitation she rose to her tip toes and their lips met in a kiss that was completely unlike the first.The contact wad hard and desperate as her arms wrapped around his neck and his around her back pulling her in so that their bodies made contact everywhere that it counted.Months of longing and a life or death ordeal heightening their already insatiable need for one another.How they were going to make it three months….neither of them had any idea. 

**TBC….Just the Epilogue left and Wallace’s secret will be revealed !! Will be posted within the next three days ! Check back for conclusion**

**I created a board on Pinterest to share some of my inspiration for this piece and so that you may see what I see while reading.Please check it out**

**Pinterest User Name: carmenk543**

**Board Name: Wind River**

**Original Characters Inspired By:**

**Charlie Wallace: Rodney Grant / Dances with Wolves “Wind in his Hair”**

**Chief Bennett: Wes Studi/ Hostiles “Chief Yellow Hawk”**

**Christina Wallace: Q’Orianka Kilcher/ The New World “Pocahontas”**

**Emily Wallace: Tanaya Beatty/ Hostiles “Living Woman”**

**Mikey Wallace: See Pinterest Board, not inspired by an actor**

**Chris Porter: James Jordan/ Wind River “Pete Mickens”**

**Joey Ferguson: John Bernthal (a drug addled, skinny, toothless version)/ The Walking Dead “Shane Walsh”**


	12. Epilogue

**“Sally in the Alley”**

**Author** : carmen_085

**Disclaime** r: I don’t own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me

**Summary** : They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them.It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point.They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up.But they wouldn’t go back, not until they found justice for her.(Takes place after 2x11)

**Author’s Note** : Some of my inspiration for this story came from the movie “Wind River”.Along with that there are several interesting online articles detailing the reality of life on a reservation and the violence that is endured, especially by women. 

**Epilogue**

**WARNING**

****Graphic descriptions of War Violence, Rape, and Murder this Chapter****

**Three Months Later**

Lucy Chen smoothed her uniform as she stared at herself in the mirror.Three months had passed since Isabel had been found dead in that alley.Today…Today was her first day off probation; her first day as a P2…a real cop, finally. She couldn’t help but be a little nervous although she knew that she was ready.Her probation had undoubtedly been more challenging than almost any other rookie’s in the department. 

Stepping from the locker room she almost ran right into someone coming the opposite direction.“Hey….”Looking up she met Tim’s soft brown eyes with a smile.Settling back against the wall they just looked at each other for a moment; she found that they did this a lot.Talking without talking. 

Shaking her head she forced a reassuring smile.“I’m going to be fine.” 

He was silent for a moment, the muscles of his jaw flexing.Looking down at her, the corners of his lips twitched up.“I know you will…just nothing too crazy; at least not yet.” 

Turning she let her hand brush his as he caught her fingers in a moment of contact that made her spine tingle. They had, more or less, stayed away from each other since getting back from Wyoming and it had been torture.Both of them were ready to see where this went between them and start the next chapter of their lives together. 

Smiling up at him, Lucy rolled her eyes, “I’ll try.”Inhaling sharply he pushed off the wall needing some air before he lost all control.She was good at doing that to him.Together they began walking to the roll call room.“Are you leaving tomorrow ?” 

Tim nodded his head.“Yeah early and I’ll be back late…”

Lucy nodded, a semi-hopeful look in her eyes. “Sure you don’t need me to come along?”

Tim shook his head, “No.I need to do this.I should have done it a long time ago…..Besides I think your new partner will miss you too much.”Entering the roll call room Jackson threw an arm up as he waved Lucy toward a seat he had saved for her…a seat in the third row; the row where the experienced cops sat.Tim, meanwhile, took his usual place at the table with the rest of the TOs near the back. 

“Are you ready? Because I am so READY!”Sliding into the chair next to Jackson she nodded, a wide grin breaking out across her face.For the next year they would be partners as Gray had already lined a new rookie up for Tim.In the beginning she was disappointed but after a while she realized this would make the transition in their personal life a lot easier…and a lot less interesting to the department. 

“Alright…Listen up People !”All eyes turned toward Gray in the front of the room as he brought the meeting to order.“We have a new crop of boots here today ! Fresh from the academy…” Coming to stand in front of the first table, Gray looked down at the three young cops, hands behind his back shaking his head.“First we have Angela Lewis….” A young black woman turned around to greet the room as Gray continued.“You’ll be with Angela Lopez…” pausing he chuckled to himself.“Angela and Angela…” Casting a momentary glance to the back of the room Lucy saw the scowl on Lopez’s face and the clear message that she found nothing funny about Gray’s somewhat weak attempt at humor.“And then we have Mike Thompson…former Park Ranger…” A man who looked just a hair younger than Nolan turned around to look toward the table of TOS.“And just like I feared, John Nolan has turned my station into an Eat Pray Love Mecca for middle aged reinvention.”Next to Lucy, Nolan opened his mouth before quickly shutting it again.“But that’s ok because I have a TO that specializes in geriatric rookies…” Casting an apologetic glance at his former TO, Nolan shrugged in deference. “Harper….you’ll be with Thompson. And last but certainly not least.Steve Gusler…”A skinny white kid hesitantly turned around, fear in his eyes, as he met Tim’s intense gaze before turning quickly toward the front.“You’ll be with Officer Bradford….living legend.” Smirks and snickering followed as Gray turned back to the rookie abruptly,“And Gusler? “

“Yes Sir ?” The kid’s voice was high and nasaly as Lucy didn’t miss the way Tim’s lip turned up in disgust.

“Don’t let him get shot on your first day like Chen did…” The room broke out into laughter as Gusler stared forward in evident horror.“Alright…that’s it people.”Everyone rose at the same time the room breaking out into conversation as they piled toward the doors. 

It was hard to believe that after all this time it would just be her and Jackson in the street. No TOS; just them to make all the calls on their own.It was both exciting and terrifying.Loading the war bags into the trunk, Jackson checked the back seat for weapons.From behind her, she heard a squad sharply hit the brakes as she turned.

In the driver’s seat Tim glared at his rookie as the young kid braced himself against the dash.“Why the hell aren’t you wearing your seat belt?”The kid stammered as he tried to undo the twisted belt that Tim had undoubtedly rigged in a test of his rookie’s forethought and preparedness. 

  
“It’s twisted…sir.”Casting an incredulous look at the kid Tim was poised to begin ranting; Lucy would know…she’d seen it before. 

“Twisted?…This job is no joke, boot.You need to be ready for anything….always check your gear, check your shop, and most importantly check yourself.” Lucy almost rolled her eyes.Classic Tim.

“I’m sorry sir…I…” Before the kid could finish blithering and stammering Tim jammed his finger toward the rearview mirror.

“You see that?”The wolf’s tooth Bennett had given him hung by the mirror.“That’s from a wolf that I killed….big black bastard with yellow eyes….he was charging my partner…” Lucy smiled at the reference.“And I killed him…dead… can I depend on you for something like ?” 

Gusler looked between the tooth and Tim clearly at a loss for words.“A wolf ? Sir ?…”.

Shaking his head in disgust Tim turned back toward the road flooring the accelerator.“That’s what I thought.”

Laughing to herself Lucy shook her head.How much had changed in just a year.She wondered, silently, where she would be in another year.Life was crazy but this timeshe was more than ready for the ride. 

* * *

If Wyoming in the spring was beautiful; the summer was absolutely breathtaking. Wildflowers bloomed across high golden prairie grass as the hot sun made the blue hue of the mountains even more brilliant.Evergreens bent and swayed in the cool morning air as Tim rolled the window down relishing in the natural beauty of this place.LA was home and it always would be…but LA wasn’t here and never could be.He wasn’t blind; he knew the reservation was beleaguered with drugs and poverty, hopelessness and death.But…he was beginning to truly understand and feel what Bennett and Wallace meant when he said that God gave this land to their people.It was rugged and untouched, and if one listened close enough he was sure that the echoes of the past could be heard.A people and a way of life that no longer existed. Something that was labeled savagery by invaders who were the real savages.A part of marginalized American history that became diluted into figurines on the Thanksgiving table and Halloween costumes. Shaking his head, Tim took a familiar turn off.He had never given much thought to Native American culture or way of life.Never had any reason to.But he should have and so should everyone else because this was their country before anyone else’s. 

Stopping the car in front of the cabin, he cut the engine sitting there for a moment.When he first met Charlie Wallace he thought the man was dangerous, and he was, but not like that.Wallace was a trained killer but he wasn’t crazy.He protected his own, got revenge for his own, and, Tim had a feeling, didn’t mind dying in the name of a righteous cause.And then he saw that photo of the military unit in Bagram and something about it made a distant memory flicker.In the Army, gossip was rampant, even more insidious than a hair salon.Tales of glory were amplified to superhuman levels while accounts of savagery were never spared a single gory detail. 

It was fall 2002 and Tim had been in country almost six months; but his unit wasn’t even close to being the first deployed. Thousands of soldiers were already posted across the northern regions, preparing for the inevitable push into Kandahar, a Taliban strong hold.Some of the first soldiers deployed, aside from special forces and already established units, were a company of all Native American soldiers.Despite the being shit all over by the US Government throughout the years, this group was some of the first men and women to sign up after 9/11.Seeing this as an opportunity, the Army took the best of the best and formed a fifty man company of all Native Americans.They were among the first companies deployed to the Middle East and they had a very specific mission.Embed themselves inside the northern alliance, a militia of native Afghans that wanted to take their country back from the Taliban.They were dark skinned and dark haired and without looking closely could be easily mistaken as an Arab.Many of them were already expert horsemen as this was the only mode of transport in the rugged countryside.Lastly, several of them still spoke their native dialects, which unlike English, could never be remotely understood by the enemy. 

By the time the story had reached Tim it was hard to discern what was fact.Passed around over card games and boozing, used as a ‘ghost story’ to scare the new guys; the tale took on a life of its own.He didn’t put much stock in it, they had bigger problems but he never forgot the ominous feeling it carried.The things that could happen in this God Forsaken place….he didn’t even want to think about it.That story along with everything else that happened ‘over there’ wrapped itself into a ball of tangled webs that lived in the back of his mind; too important to forget, too tangled to try and understand.Until he saw that picture in Wallace’s house; he knew it meant something but he didn’t know what until Lucy said it out loud. 

_Cheveyo_

_‘When they found the bastard all he could say was one word.Cheveyo.’_

Stepping out of the car, Tim closed the door.Looking around the property he heard not a sound; however, the front door was wide open.Stepping up to the front door he looked inside and saw movement out the back door in the yard.Stepping off the porch, he walked around the house, the cool summer breeze swaying the evergreens side to side.Wallace was bent over in a well tended garden and without even looking at Tim he spoke.

“Didn’t expect to see you back here so soon.”Tim looked over his shoulder to see if he could possibly be talking to someone else, even thought he knew they were alone.The man’s situational awareness was almost innate; a highly cultivated sixth sense. 

Stopping Tim opened his mouth before closing it and shaking his head silently.“I had some unfinished business I guess.”Stopping what he was doing, Wallace stood up straight as he eyed his visitor. 

“Bennett told me…said you’re speaking in Casper.”He paused looking at the ground briefly.

Tim swallowed hard and nodded.“I am.About Isabel…and Christina…” Wallace looked up at him.“I think you should come…”

Dropping the spade from his hand, Wallace looked away out over the prairie his eyes distant yet full of emotion.“I don’t know it will do much good..” He trailed off as he stepped out of the dirt and walked across the grass toward his fire pit where a small fire crackled.Following, Tim came to sit down across from him.After a few moments Tim hesitantly began to speak.

“I was in Afghanistan for a few months when stories began circulating about an American soldier… a Native American….and the things that happened to his men…” Wallace met his eyes before his gaze drifted back to the fire.“And the things that he did afterwards to make that right…”

Wallace let out a wry laugh, “That’s kind of my brand, I guess, avenger.Always trying to right a wrong.”Shaking his head he didn’t make an attempt to stop Tim when he began talking again. 

“I heard the stories…everyone did…and then I forgot all about it until I saw that picture in your living room.I didn’t remember right away but something didn’t feel right.So I was suspicious and it almost cost me my life and Lucy hers.”Wallace stared at him not making an effort to deny any of it.“I couldn’t place it until Lucy told me your Arapaho name.”

_Cheveyo_

“And then I knew…I remembered the stories…but most people, myself included, never really knew the truth.” 

Staring at the fire Wallace shook his head as his eyes drifted to another place and time. 

_The camp was quiet, at least for now.They were still moving with the Northern Alliance, taking the city of Mazar and moving south toward Khandahar.No one knew they were Americans; they looked just like the Afghans at first glance.They also had their own language; cobbled together by five different native dialects allowing them to communicate in absolute secrecy. Wallace sat back on a rock staring out at the rugged mountain terrain, it was nearly dark._

_While most of their time was spent collecting intelligence and performing reconnaissance; they would occasionally need to break away from the Alliance and perform a patrol or lock an area down for other troops.Taking a drag on his cigarette he blew the smoke out into the cold mountain air.This place reminded him of home, except instead of natural beauty it was scarred and gouged from centuries of war.Tonight, he had sent three men on a patrol to secure a crossroads just one mile away. There wasn’t much in the area; a small village but according to the Alliance the Taliban was on the run, heading back to Khandahar to fortify the city as their last stand._

_Hurried footsteps as he felt his stomach twist into a knot.That was never good.“Sir….Sir….”Wallace turned, he was a staff sergeant, in charge of a squad; ten men, his decisions meant life and death for every man and he knew it.“Sir….something has happened.”Grabbing his rife he was on his feet within seconds, the rest of his squad rallying around him._

_Gates…Jackson…Baptiste…..He repeated their names in his head over and over as they moved quickly but carefully toward the crossroads.A horse and cart, some goats, and signs of a struggle; Wallace looked at the clues left behind, a theory forming in his mind.His men most likely stumbled upon a band of insurgents that were attacking an Afghani farmer at the crossroads. Circling the back of the wagon he peered inside; suitcases, pots and pans, a few toys. Swallowing hard his stomach sank.It wasn’t a farmer but a family traveling north, most likely, to safety. Ambushed by the Taliban and somehow his men got mixed up in the middle of it.Sighing he set his sights toward the village._

_There were a few huts near the location; the outliers to the village that followed.It was completely dark as Wallace quickly formulated a plan to clear the huts. Briefing the men, they moved out in textbook formation. Two men cleared the first hut as the rest of the element held long cover.The second hut was empty like the first as the team moved toward the third and final hut. Wallace’s hair stood on end as they approached the door._

_What he saw inside was something he often wished he could forget.Physically he had to force himself to stand there and not turn and bolt.Every nerve in his body screaming one thing…RUN! On the floor against the wall his three men sat in a neat row clearly posed.They were naked, their bodies severely mutilated and disfigured, their throats were cut and blood pooled on the dirt floor._

_The hut was silent as the rest of his squad stared at him; they knew what they wanted to do but he had to give the order.Swallowing Wallace looked at the three men on the floor once more before turning and exiting the squat structure.He had no plan and he didn’t want one right now.He saw red and the only thing he could think about finding the bastards who did this._

_“On me.”Without question they followed him as he stalked toward the village not particularly caring about stealth.He didn't know how many were in there and he should have retreated back to the Alliance for more fighters.But that wasn’t going to happen; this was personal.Reaching the edge of the village they crouched behind a wall in the darkness, straining to listen for any noise.The American Flags on their shoulders barely visible in the low light.When they moved with the Alliance they wore traditional Afghani garb over their uniforms; when they undertook their own missions like they made no secret what team they played for; lest they be mistaken by other Americans as the enemy._

_Peering over the wall Wallace saw the village mostly dark and quiet.Closing his eyes he took a deep breath; concentrated on nothing more than the world around him he listened.His grandfather had taught him this years ago.It was how his people had survived for centuries; listening and being completely in tune with the world around them.He heard the wind and the scrub brush, he heard the pounding of his own heart and the way his breath hitched in his throat, and….then he heard it.A muffled cry and a low voice. They were here._

_Turning to his men he made the hand signal to move out.Despite the massive amount of gear they toted along, they made not sound as they moved through the village.Most of the buildings were dark and empty as they passed these structures sparing a glance as they moved toward the soft thrum of voices ahead.Briefly, he wondered what the Taliban had done to the people who once lived here._

_Rounding a sandstone hut they stopped seeing another similar structure with low lights and a man standing guard at the door; Russian era AK hanging from his neck and a cigarette in his mouth.Pausing, the squad silently took a knee looking up at him for the signal.Peering back around the wall, Wallace saw the bodies of an adult man and woman laying just beyond the sentry at the door. They were dressed as Afghani peasants, the woman’s face was completely covered with a Burqa that was saturated in blood.He still didn’t see the kid, if there actually was a kid, and wondered if it had run off into the night or worse._

_Turning back he took a deep breath, he had no idea how many of them were in there and he only had eight men left.There was no one to call, though, if they fell back and rejoined the Alliance or radioed for their own troops, these fuckers would scatter into the hills never to be seen again.Gates….Jackson….Baptiste; he repeated their names over and over in his head.Giving the hand signal for two men, the first two behind him rose.Flashing a single finger, they nodded their understanding; it was one man they needed to take out.Pulling his trench knife from the sheath Wallace ran it across his own neck indicating that they had to do it quiet.Repositioning their rifles, they unsheathed knives as they moved out quietly and together._

_The haji in the door turned just a moment too late as Wallace’s men were on him before he would swing the rifle around.Dragging him to the ground one held him down as the other slit in throat; he didn’t even get the chance to scream.Moving, the rest of the squad just outside the door, Wallace regrouped the men.It sounded like maybe four orfive different arabic voices inside.They could do this…and he wasn’t going to lose another man tonight._

_It was chaos as they poured into the structure, three men sat in the front room as they were dealt with quickly, all receiving a bullet to the head.Looking around, Wallace saw that there weren’t many places to hide.A curtain separated the back of the hut from the front as he heard whimpering above all the chaos.Bringing his rifle level, he advanced along the wall toward the curtain, his heart pounding. Parting the worn, tan fabric he paused for a moment._

_There was a bed, or something that resembled one, against the wall.A small square window cut from the sandstone just above it.A piece of fabric flapped in the night air. A lantern sizzled and burned on the bedside table.The bed had a rusted, iron frame.There was nothing else in the room, the once home, having been looted over and over since the owners had been forced to abandon it.He drew a breath in as the fabric over the window flapped, inky blackness and a thousand stars visible in the endless Afghan night.On the bed was a girl, not more than twelve, naked and being held down.Her terrified eyes stared at Wallace as tears rolled down her cheeks.The dirty mattress was stained with blood.They had all heard of this….the infinite brutality the Taliban inflicted on the people of this country, sparing no one, not even a child….but to see it up close like this was something else._

_The three of them stared at each other for a moment, frozen in place.And then the switch flipped.In two bounding leaps he was there, the man didn’t even have time to pull his pants up.Hitting him square in the jaw, he stumbled backwards away from his AK as Wallace kicked it to the side.He could kill the man, but that was too easy.This prick was going to suffer. Raising his trench knife he hacked at the man’s right wrist, the haji screaming in agony.Blood squirted all over the dirt floor as his right hand was severed. Curling into a ball, he babbled Arabic as Wallace felt no mercy toward him. Kicking him in the ribs as hard as he could, he grabbed his left wrist and doing much the same as he did with the right and he didn’t stop hacking until the left hand was removed as well.Blood sprayed his face as the man attempted to get up, but Wallace still wasn’t done._

_A few of his men had come to the door and seeing the scene inside made no effort to stop their sergeant in his quest for vengeance. The man hadn’t been able to get his pants up and without thinking Wallace raised his knife, coming down in one decisive cut that was met with a howl of primal agony.What this bastard was doing to that little girl….it would never happen again.The girl shuffled off the bed, hastily dressing herself, as she watched in terror at the scene before her.Now completely desperate, the Haji scrambled to his feet, pants around his ankles and soaked in blood he pushed himself up onto the bed and swung his upper body out the window as Wallace watched him struggle.He could have killed him ten times over, that wasn't the point here, he wanted this prick to suffer for the rest of his life._

_Casting a glance toward the girl who was standing there, haphazardly dressed and trembling, he sneered as he moved toward the window.Pulling the man back inside hehe laid his knife against the man’s hairline and raked backwards with unhinged brutality.Black hair flew everywhere as the man begged in Arabic.When he was done Wallace leaned down and whispered in his ear one word.‘Cheveyo’Before throwing the bleeding, half dead bastard out the window._

_It was nearly dawn when a platoon of American soldiers, en route to the crossroads, came upon a man, blabbering and weeping.He had no hands….his pants were soaked in blood….and his scalp was missing right down the middle as his face was unrecognizable through the layer of caked, dried blood.He spoke not a word of English and the men didn’t have a translator with them.Despite that, he kept repeated one single word over and over._

_‘Cheveyo’_

The fire crackled as Tim and Wallace stared into it silently.“I lost my squad after that.The Army was ‘disturbed by my behavior’ but considering the circumstances allowed me to stay in and serve out the rest of my tour.”He shrugged. “Maybe we are all just a bunch of savages in the end…”. Trailing off he looked at Tim. 

“The only disturbing thing, my friend,…” Tim met his eyes seriously.“Is that the Army didn’t recognize the undeniable courage and determination you and your men showed that night…”. Tim looked away toward the prairie as he shook his head,“No one will ever understand the shit that goes on in a place like that….the things you see….the losses you take…and the never ending fight to survive.That haji deserved everything he got and more…” Wallace’s eyes briefly met Tim’s before he looked back down at the fire nodding slowly. Reaching into his pocket, Tim produced a velvet bag as he passed it over. 

Carefully Wallace undid the strings at the top as he upended it into his hand.It was a Purple Heart.Looking down at it he nodded at Tim.“You were wounded?” 

A wry smirk tugged at Tim’s lip as he nodded. “I walked out of building and caught a piece of shrapnel in my thigh…”. Slipping it back unto the bag Wallace move to pass it back to him.Shaking his head, Tim lifted a hand.“No….I want you to have it.” 

Wallace froze in place knowing the weight of that statement before he quickly shook his head.“Tim…I can’t..”

“No…you deserve it more than me.For what you did over there and what you did right here.”Tim shook his head as he stared into the fire.“If not for you…both Lucy and I would be dead…..and while I don’t care much about myself, I would do absolutely anything to keep her safe.” 

Wallace brought his hand back into this lap as he stared down at the Purple Heart before nodding solemnly at Tim. Rising his feet he extended his hand. Returning the gesture, Tim met his eyes and nodded, nothing more needing to be said between them. 

* * *

Tim waited to the right of the podium as the moderator announced him as the next speaker.The Wyoming House of Representatives was voting on a bill to limit drilling sites on natives lands and also make them the jurisdiction of Tribal Police.Bennett, as he understood, had created quite a stir at the Town Hall meeting a few months back and had been able to rally support for the proposal to be brought before the State Assembly. 

The moderator stepped aside as Tim moved in front of the microphone.He wore his LAPD dress uniform, freshly starched and pressed.Looking around the room for a moment he saw Bennett in the front row, a slight nod of acknowledgement between them. 

“Good Afternoon…my name is Tim Bradford and I am a Police Officer with the City of Los Angeles.My ex-wife, Isabel Bradford…was also in the LAPD until she became addicted to drugs during an undercover assignment.A few months ago my partner and I found her dead in an alley laying in a pile of trash.” He stopped for a moment, a slight tickle of emotion in the back of his throat. Swallowing he took a breath before continuing.“I quickly found out that the man who killed her was hiding here, in Wyoming, at a drilling site on the Wind River Reservation.When I arrived and met Chief Bennett he told me that another young girl had recently been brutally raped and murdered and he suspected the men working at the site to be responsible.” Pausing he looked up for a moment. In the back of the room he saw the mahogany door open and shut as a familiar face entered, leaning against the wall.Wallace stared at him giving him the barest of nods as Tim returned the acknowledgment before continuing.“I don’t need to tell any of you in this room about the complications tribal police face securing their own lands…..or their inability, under current laws, to engage the often times rough, crude, and dangerous men that areposted there with little to do outside of work except cause trouble. “ He paused nodding his head as he continued.“I am here today to tell you about Isabel Bradford and Christina Wallace and how we, as a society, failed them both.They were human beings…not always perfect….but they mattered. And until the violence against women in places like Wind River…and Los Angeles…stops. I will not quit telling their story.” 

The assembly erupted in applause as Tim looked around, a genuine smile spreading across his face. 

The END

**That is all for this story. Thanks to everyone who stuck it out and kept reading.I don't know if I’ll write any more rookie fanfics, this one struck me like a bolt of lightning and story that just had to be told.I do have more fanfics in other fandoms on both here and** [ **_FF.net_ ** ](http://FF.net) **if you are interested in reading more of my work.Again thank you all and I hope you enjoyed it.**

**-The first cop show I ever loved was Third Watch (1999-2005), if any you remember watching you will get the reference above about Tim’s new rookie Steve Gusler, who played a whining, unsure young cop on that show as well.Charlie McWade was the actor if anyone wants to look him up**

**-I created a board on Pinterest to share some of my inspiration for this piece and so that you may see what I see while reading.Please check it out**

**Pinterest User Name: carmenk543,**

**Board Name: Wind River**

**Original Characters Inspired By:**

**Charlie Wallace: Rodney Grant / Dances with Wolves “Wind in his Hair”**

**Chief Bennett: Wes Studi/ Hostiles “Chief Yellow Hawk”**

**Christina Wallace: Q’Orianka Kilcher/ The New World “Pocahontas”**

**Emily Wallace: Tanaya Beatty/ Hostiles “Living Woman”**

**Mikey Wallace: See Pinterest Board, not inspired by an actor**

**Chris Porter: James Jordan/ Wind River “Pete Mickens”**

**Joey Ferguson: John Bernthal (a drug addled, skinny, toothless version)/ The Walking Dead “Shane Walsh”**

**Again Thank You and Be Safe in these uncertain times !!**


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